Chapter 18 Continued: Ithobal Comes Courting

Hananiah took his place beside his new king.  It had not been a month since Zedekiah had been made King in Jerusalem, and already the kings of the neighboring states were coming to visit.  Ithobal of Tyre was the second king to come – Sihon of Ammon had left only three days ago.  And, it had not escaped his notice that the noble families of Jerusalem  were abuzz with the hope for profits from doing business with these nations – and their liege lord Hophra of Egypt.  Clearly, Troas had acted quickly on his advice on how to sway the heart of the new king.

           Hananiah leaned over to speak softly into Zedekiah’s ear.  “My Lord, it is said that it is Ithobal of Tyre who set in motion Egypt’s plans to build the canal.  It is said he is wise and a hard bargainer, but that his word can be trusted.”

           The young king nodded his head and waited as the doorkeeper announced the arrival of his counterpart.  Though equals in title and sovereign powers, Zedekiah felt very much like a young maiden being eyed by a potential suitor before negotiating the wedding price.  “Greetings Ithobal, King of Tyre and Protector of all sea faring merchants,” Zedekiah said.

           “Blessings on he who sits on the Throne of David,” replied Ithobal.  “I knew your father, Josiah, and have been blessed by the wisdom of the scribes he sent to tutor my own son years ago in the ways of your language and your God.”  Ithobal bowed and motioned for his servants to present the gifts he had brought:  Myrrh from Persia, fine gems from the southern tip of Africa.  Even a fine cloth known as silk from a land so far to the east that it was known only as the Land of the Rising Sun.

          Once the gifts had been presented, Zedekiah thanked him, saying “All Jerusalem is blessed by your presence.  I have prepared a feast in your honor this evening.  Please, accept my hospitality and refresh yourself before we dine tonight.”

           King Ithobal bowed, hands spread.  “Your highness is most kind.  But see, the day is yet young.  I would enjoy the King of Judah’s company for a stroll in your fine gardens.”  Standing to his full height, he stretched out his burly right arm in the direction of the royal gardens, inviting Zedekiah to lead him in a tour of the grounds.  His grin broadened into a smile when Zedekiah rose to indulge his request.

           “So, King Ithobal, tell me what business brings you to Jerusalem so soon after my ascension to the throne?  You never paid such an honor to my dead half brother, Jehoiakim,” asked Zedekiah as they walked into the gardens out of ear shot of the other members of the court.

           They walked down a green lawn flanked on either side by well-tended red and yellow tulips.  A cool breeze blew in from the mountains.  Ithobal, a master of diplomacy, was in the element he most enjoyed.  “Jehoiakim was an able leader, but he suffered from a flaw fatal to too many who rise to the place of a king:  He was ruthless and unprincipled.  He sought only his own advantage, not that of the people he governed.  I prefer not to deal with such men.”

           “And what leads you to believe that I am different?” asked Zedekiah.

           “My man, Troas, whom you will meet, tells me that you are.  He was here for your coronation.  It was he who suggested I come to pay my respects – to see for myself if you might be the kind of leader he believes you to be.”

           Zedekiah’s raised eyebrows emphasized the surprise and inquisitiveness in his voice.  “And what kind of leader does he believe me to be?”

           “Zedekiah, my friend, the same as I.  One who chafes under the oppression of an overlord.  One who would see his people free from tyranny.  Answer me truthfully, when you took the vow to serve the King of Babylon, was your heart in it?”

           Zedekiah shifted his gaze to the ground as they slowed their pace.  Finally, he answered:  “No, it was not.  But the prophet Jeremiah says it is the will of our God that we serve Babylon.”

           “I thought as much.  Troas told me that you were, shall we say, less than enthusiastic in pledging fealty to Babylon.”

           “But what else was I to do?” pleaded Zedekiah.  “The armies of Babylon surrounded us at every turn.  I had to submit, or see Jerusalem destroyed.”

           King Ithobal indulged Zedekiah’s excuses for another ten minutes, nodding his head in sympathy with the young king’s plight.  But when he again brought up the prophet Jeremiah’s name, and how he had instructed the new king that Judah must submit to Nebuchadnezzar, Ithobal determined that it was time to turn the conversation in the direction he wished it to go.

           “I have heard of this Jeremiah,” said King Ithobal.  “I have heard he is a great wizard.  Rumor has it that he is the teacher of the Hebrew wise man who advises Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel.  Is this true?”

           “Yes, it is he.  Why do you ask?” Zedekiah responded cautiously.

           Ithobal placed his arm around the younger man’s shoulder and leaned closer to his ear, as would a father to a son.  “I have learned much of this prophet, and I fear he seeks only to aggrandize himself at your expense.  He once served in a prominent position under the reign of your father, Josiah.  He lost that position when Jehoiakim came to power.  Now, with his disciple advising Nebuchadnezzar and you under the spell of his powers, he seeks to elevate himself at any cost.  I would wager that he has kept secret from you the recent triumphs of Pharaoh Hophra and his growing power.”

           “Indeed, of what triumphs do you bear news?” asked Zedekiah.

           The King of Tyre recounted the story of Egypt’s victory over Kush.  He told of how Babylon had tried to use that nation to open a second front on her enemy’s southern border, coming so soon after Nebuchadnezzar’s own loss at Migdol.  He also spoke of the canal project, and the city of Pithom which had been built to house the nearly thirty thousand slaves and craftsmen who now worked to complete it.  And then, Ithobal dangled his surprise carrot in front of the young, impressionable king.

           “Within a year,” Ithobal said, “Pharaoh Hophra plans to travel on a diplomatic trip to foster trade and economic cooperation with the states of the Gaza Plain.  The Pharaoh is especially interested in coming to pay you a visit.”

           Zedekiah’s slow pace through the garden now came to a complete halt.  “Interested in visiting me!”  exclaimed Zedekiah.  “Why, in the name of Jehovah God, would he wish to do that?”

          “As I said, my friend, you are a king who chafes at the thought of your people suffering the tyranny of the tyrant from Babylon.  Pharaoh Hophra wishes to solidify an alliance against Babylon, but you are the key to making that alliance a reality.  Hophra knows that.  That’s why he wishes to come and pay his respects to you here in Jerusalem.”

           Ithobal watched Zedekiah’s reaction carefully.  At this point it was necessary only to sell Zedekiah on the prestige of having Pharaoh Hophra pay him a personal visit.  Step two would be to convince the new king of Judah to hear the arguments for forming an alliance against Babylon.  Each stage would give Zedekiah the ability to deny to Jeremiah or anyone else that he was openly betraying his allegiance to Babylon.  In the mean time, through economic incentives, Tyre and Egypt would buy influence among the merchants of Jerusalem.  Eventually, it would be their calls for supporting Egypt which would cause Zedekiah to renounce Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon.  This prophet Jeremiah could rant and rave all he liked.  In the end, the power of gold would triumph, as it always did.  King Ithobal was not disappointed by the impressionable king’s response. 

           “I will receive Pharaoh with honor when he arrives,” said Zedekiah.  “Even Jeremiah will see the necessity of keeping on good terms with Egypt.  After all, I will not violate any trust to which I have sworn with Nebuchadnezzar.  It is good.  Now, come, we should return to make ready for the banquet I have had prepared in your honor.”

 As the two walked back to rejoin the others at court, Ithobal silently congratulated himself on moving his agenda forward.  Truly, he would enjoy the evening that awaited as his just reward.

Have you jumped into the middle of the story and want to “catch up”? Go to achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Conversations with the Culture: Galaxy Quest

  What, You Do Not Know What the Omega 13 Does? How can The Commander NOT KNOW Something about His Ship?

Because I’m Not The Commander, I’m an Actor! I Just Play “The Commander” On TV. By the Way, How Does my Hair Look?

Digging Deeper

In the movie, Galaxy Quest, Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen) is an actor who played Commander Peter Quincy Taggert, commanding officer of the PROTECTOR, on the Star Trek-like TV show Galaxy Quest. Now in syndicated re-runs, the Galaxy Quest cast make a living rehashing their stale old TV episodes.  Nesmith lives only for himself, content to use others to get what he wants. One day, Nesmith unwittingly agrees to make an appearance for real aliens, the Thermians, who have come to earth to recruit them to face an alien race seeking to destroy them. Getting the rest of his Galaxy Quest cast members to pilot a spaceship the Thermians have built based on the “historical documents” (past TV shows), they must fight a real intergalactic space battle. Towards the end of the movie, Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen) is confronted by the alien commander, Sarris, regarding the function of something called the Omega 13 device. Nesmith tells Sarris he doesn’t know what it does, but Sarris doesn’t believe him, saying “You think that I am a fool, that the Commander does not know ever bolt, every weld, of his ship?” Nesmith is forced to admit that he’s not really the “Commander”, just an actor pretending to be something he’s not. To see a video clip of the scene, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_tm38I26Gg&feature=related#t=3m18s  

In I Samuel 15, the prophet Samuel confronts King Saul over the sin in his life.  Saul has chosen to follow his own instincts, instead of obeying God.  In verse 11, God says “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.”  In reality, Saul was never interested in following God – he was only pretending!  Here is how Saul responded to Samuel when confronted about his sin (15:24-25):

Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the LORD’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”    

While Saul admits his sin, he shifts the blame to others. It’s not his fault – he was afraid of the people. They wanted him to do what he did – so he obeyed them. And, he wants Samuel to go with him, to put on a show, so that the people will believe that Saul is back in the Lord’s good graces. To the very end, Saul simply pretends to be “the commander”. But in reality, he’s just an actor. When Samuel won’t do as he asks, Saul sets out to destroy David, the man Samuel has been led by God to find as Saul’s replacement.  

Compare this to David and how he responds when confronted with his sin of having Uriah killed and taking his wife, Bathsheba, as his own. In II Samuel 12, his friend Nathan confronts him with the truth of his sin, telling him a story of a situation similar to the sin of David and asking him what the King felt should be done. In anger at the circumstances, David says (II Samuel 12:5-7)

“As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. He must restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.” Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!”       

Unlike Saul, David takes full responsibility for his act. After listening to Nathan enumerate his sins and the punishment he deserves to receive, David responds “I have sinned against the Lord.” (II Samuel 12:13). No excuses. No attempts to shift the blame or to have Nathan killed for accusing him. David simply accepts the judgment, along with the punishment he is due because of his sin. Why did David make this choice? Because, as “a man after God’s own heart,” David understood that he had violated the Golden Rule, which says (Matthew 7:12): 

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

David realized that he could either destroy Nathan, the man who called him out and exposed him as a fraud, or face the fact that he was not who he said he was, the “valiant warrior” God had called him to be.  

Ultimately, this lesson from David’s life is about how we live the Golden Rule. If we run around demanding that others apologize for this or that, if we criticize others for being too controlling, if we hold others to account for broken relationships – but destroy the Nathans among us who might hold us to our own standards – we are nothing but a modern day Saul. In the end, we become merely pretenders who play to the crowd – and blame others for our failings, saying “they made me do it”.

It’s not easy.  In the movie, Galaxy Quest, Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen) has to admit his failings in front of everyone who believed that he was the Commander. David, too, had to admit he had sinned.  

What about you and me?  Are we the “real deal”, or just an actor hired to play the part?

Being the Church: Are We A Dynamic Bridge to the World?

In the adult Sunday School Class I teach, we are doing a study on the book of Joshua.  I’ve called it:  Joshua: Leading Into the Promised Land.  Because my church is seeking to be dismissed from our denomination, I have seen this study through the lens of this process of seeking dismissal. 

In a previous blog post, I talked about how the crossing of the Jordan River was a missional statement to the entire world.  In Joshua Chapter 4, verses 23-24, we read:

 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever. 

In reading of this event in the book of Joshua, I realized that my own church’s “crossing the Jordan” is not JUST about the membership of our church.   There are many people who are not members of our church who depend on the community ministries God has called us to provide.  These range from child and adult day care, to K – 7th grade school, to language training for Burmese refugees, to sports ministry outreach, to global missions. 

With that in mind, my son and I recently talked church leaders at our church and asked about video taping some of these people to ask them what the ministries of our church mean to them.  Here are two of those brief interviews.  The first is of a man who participates in our men’s basketball ministry:

The next video is of a mom who has her children in our Welcome Place child care:

In both cases, these individuals are thankful about the ministry that the community of believers at my church have provided. Additionally, both talk about the spiritual blessing that they, as non-church goers, receive from the ministries of my church.  This, I believe, is from God.  Our ministries are not the work of this or that individual (regardless of how important key individuals might be), but are a result of God’s Spirit working through a community of believers. Without a community consecrated to the work of the Lord, such ministries are simply not possible.

And, if there is no foundational sense of community, then individuals will go their own way and create fractures in these ministries. 

In Chapter 6 of Joshua, God instructs that no one may take anything from the destroyed city of Jericho for their own personal use.  As a community, all Israel promised to obey this command.  But one person, a man named Achan, violated this command.  Joshua Chapter 7 provides a lesson when the unity of a covenant community is broken.  That lesson is this:  If even one man sins and breaks the covenant, the entire community is affected.  When Israel had consecrated themselves and followed the commands of God, they met with great success.  But when one man broke that covenant, Israel’s initial battle with the city of Ai failed miserably. 

This coming weekend, my church will vote on whether or not we believe God is calling us to leave our denomination.  As we go forward in this effort, I think the study of the Book of Joshua raises this important question:  Do we have a community of believers united, consecrated and on their knees before God in prayer?  Or, are we a bunch of people who worship in the same building in 5 different services scattered across a Saturday/Sunday weekend?

Like the two people in the videos we saw, there are many who are watching to see if we are “walking the talk.”  This weekend, we will have a prayer vigil before, during and after the vote process.  Also, people are organizing to have members come to the church Saturday morning to stand in prayer around the perimeter of the church building to pray over the church.  If you are a member of my church, I pray you’ll participate.

Whether it is my church or any other, I think it is important to ask one’s self “What does it mean to be a member of MY local congregation?”  Hold your pastors, your church elders and other leaders in your church accountable to lead the flock into a conversation about what this means.  As a leader in my church, I desire that accountability. 

As I teach my class on Joshua: Leading Into the Promised Land, one of the books I’m using is Gene Getz’s “Joshua: Defeat to Victory.”  One of the insightful lessons he provides in discussing Joshua 6 is that God has 5 dimensions to His missionary strategy.  Getz writes:

The first dimension is “being”.  What “we are” as a local body of believers is foundational to having an effective missionary outreach into our local community.  “Being” what Christ commanded and prayed for in John’s Gospel should serve as a dynamic bridge to the world.  Our love for one another (John 13:34, 35), bearing the fruit of righteousness (see John 15:8), and unity (see John 17:20-23) all attract non-Christians, first to us, and then to Jesus Christ, the One who has made us what we are.  In many respects this was also God’s plan for the nation Israel in the Old Testament.

Israel understood that its entrance into the Promised Land was a response to God’s missional calling on their lives.  They spent time to consecrate themselves, to be intentional about what they were doing, and to be united in response to God’s calling to reach out to the world around them.

And now, as then, God is inviting us to respond to that timeless call.

———————————————————-

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Chapter 18 Continued: The implications of the Vision

         No matter how many times Naaman returned to Babylon, its beauty never ceased to amaze him.  Now within the inner wall, the city gates loomed large and magnificent against a deep blue sky.  But for all its beauty and the anticipation of his return to her ramparts, Naaman could not put the worries that crowded his thoughts out of his head.

          Last night at camp, Daniel had told him all that had transpired – of Timnah’s coming to warn him of Hamon’s treachery, of how she had urged him to use the excuse of going into the mountains to pray for Nebuchadnezzar as a ruse to get him out of the city.  And Daniel had told him of the vision he had had of his friends in a fiery furnace.  His own fears of Zedekiah being a weak vassal who would eventually turn against Babylon,  Naaman kept to himself.  But clearly, the omens did not look good.  Not a superstitious man by nature, Naaman concluded this was one of those rare times which he might want to visit a soothsayer and ask the gods what he should do.

          Arriving as they had on the day after the feast of Akitu, the city stood in eerie silence, the residents for the most part sleeping off the effects of the seven day-long festivities.  As a result, the turnout to welcome Naaman’s return was smaller than usual.  Only a ceremonial guard awaited them.  What struck Naaman as extremely odd was the way they acted toward Daniel, the way they looked – No!  Did not look at him, but rather averted their eyes and kept their heads bowed in his presence.  Something had happened, but what?

          “You, there,” Naaman said to the sergeant in charge of the ceremonial guard sent to welcome them home.  “Where is King Nebuchadnezzar?”

          “He is in counsel with Hamon the High Priest.  They are discussing what to do regarding the omen which was seen during the great feast.”

          “What omen?”  Naaman asked, thinking about the vision which Daniel had described to him.  The guard stole a quick glance at Daniel, clearly fearful of answering in the presence of the Hebrew holy man.

          “A great and awesome event occurred while you were gone, Lord Naaman.  It is that about which they speak.  I have been ordered to escort you to the King,” the sergeant hesitated before proceeding, afraid to look at, let alone speak to Daniel.  “King Nebuchadnezzar wishes for the Great Belteshazzar to await him at the temple of Entemenanki.  He will greet you there, and thanks you for your prayers and fasting on his behalf.”

          Naaman looked at Daniel.  “Something has happened because of your vision, Daniel, which has frightened my people terribly.  Go and pray to your god for mercy, for I fear an ill wind blows a storm which will engulf us.  I will go and see what has transpired.”

          “I have no power to see my future, or yours, Naaman, but of this I am certain,” said Daniel.  “No harm will befall me.  Therefore, do not fear for my sake.  Rather, think about what we have spoken in the past.  Our God has brought us to Babylon to be cleansed of our sins.  What is happening now is part of that process.”  Daniel turned aside, and accompanied by Ezekiel and his original escort, proceeded to the temple of Entemenanki.

          Naaman left the rest of his command in the care of his aide-de-camp and allowed the sergeant to lead him to the Court of Nebuchadnezzar.  He thought back to that first time when he had met Daniel and spoken to him; how Daniel had said his God had ordained they would be taken into captivity for seventy years as a punishment for their sins.  Naaman had from the beginning feared that the policy of bringing different conquered peoples to Babylon would affect his people.  Though he liked and respected Daniel, Naaman had increasingly come to fear the power the Hebrews had to influence his own people.  And he knew that part of his fear was based on the fact that he was himself drawn to the idea that only one god, not dozens, held the fate of the world in his hands.  Naaman shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts.  Again, he thought of going to a soothsayer at his earliest convenience.  But for now, he must place his thoughts in order, and prepare to give his report to Nebuchadnezzar.

Have you jumped into the middle of the story and want to “catch up”? Go to achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Chapter 18 Cont.: Vision of Fire

Daniel loosened his traveling cloak as the midmorning sun warmed his body.  Looking back over his shoulder, he saw a mist still clinging to the mountains from which they had just descended.  In a few hours he and his escort would reach the trade route that, in a day’s ride, would bring them to Babylon.  Two of the ten soldiers escorting him had ridden on ahead to intercept a large caravan they had seen headed their way to learn who they were.  This close to Babylon, it was unlikely they would pose a threat, but his protectors wished to take no chances.  

Daniel rode in silence, paying little attention to those around him, even Ezekiel, who had joined him at the last minute as they departed Babylon.  Daniel had seen his old friend amongst the newly arriving exiles and had taken Ezekiel with him to pray and fast in the foothills of the Zagros mountains.  Daniel’s heart had rejoiced to again see his  friend, to learn of his family and his people.  Yet this had not been a time set aside for celebration, but for fasting, prayer and intercession.  Last night, those prayers had culminated in a vision as clear as the one he had had the night he “saw” Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

       And it had terrified him.  It was as though he had been there, in person, walking around in a fire which burned hotter than the sun itself.  In that fire with him had been Shadrach, Abednego and Meshach.  As hot as the flames had been, they had not been consumed by the blaze.  The vision had ended when the three exited the furnace, and Hamon had left with Nebuchadnezzar to discuss the meaning of it all.  The look on the king’s face showed that he was clearly afraid.  Up until now, Daniel had seen Nebuchadnezzar as one who would lend his protection to Daniel and his people.  Now, he was not so sure.  For the first time in four days, Daniel turned to his friend to share what was in his heart.

           “Daniel, what is it you hope to accomplish?  And what is it you fear?,” Ezekiel asked when his friend had finished describing the vision of the fiery furnace and Nebuchadnezzar’s newfound fear of the Hebrews.

           “Ezekiel, I am convinced God has led our people into exile as a way to refine us, as a way to prepare us for something.  With the exception of Josiah, our kings have led us further and further astray.  By being taken into exile in Babylon, we have been forced to look inward and examine our hearts, to renew our spirits.  I want to accomplish that task, and am convinced you will play a key role in that endeavor.”

           “But, Ezekiel, I fear the implications of my vision.  The Feast of Akitu is a time when the king of Babylon takes on the powers of Marduk.  Nebuchadnezzar could easily view what happened last night as a terrible insult to his god.  If that happens, what is to prevent him from taking revenge on our people?  Should my fears come true, whatever dreams the Lord has in mind for us will die unborn.”

           “But what of the scrolls, Daniel?  You have been here nearly five years and have had time to study them.  You told me yourself Nebuchadnezzar has made available to you his magicians, mathematicians and astronomers.  Have you been able to learn anything?”  Ezekiel asked

           “Oh, there are some things that I have learned,” Daniel replied, not sure what he should reveal of his studies.  In the last two years, the Lord had led him to write out on large pieces of parchment ten-by-ten arrays of the text of the Torah.  Daniel had become convinced that one could find embedded in the sacred scrolls divinely ordained messages by the skipping of equal intervals of letters.  Daniel laid out the text of the Torah in these ten-by-ten arrays so he could eliminate the spaces between the words.  The more he studied in this way, the more he had become convinced of patterns that were hidden therein.  Already, he had found several references to the ninth day of the month of Av, and had begun to develop a theory as to what it meant. 

           The scroll of Isaiah made mention of a conqueror who was to come, one called Cyrus.  Without giving voice to the prophecy, Daniel silently recalled what Isaiah had written:   “Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed:  God shall empower his right hand and he shall crush the strength of mighty kings.  God shall open the gates of Babylon to you; I will shatter the doors of bronze, and cut through their iron bars.  And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.”

           But there was a darker secret which revealed a prophecy that Daniel could not bring himself to share with his friend.  It was a prophecy of judgment which revealed not only that the temple would be destroyed, but also the exact date on which that event would take place.  The thought that these things would happen was too terrifying to think about, let alone discuss with Ezekiel.

           “Yes, there are some things that I have learned, still other things that remain hazy to me.  I cannot discuss them now, but know this:  My vision of last night portends events far beyond what we can now imagine.  We must leave it in God’s hands, knowing He will provide a shepherd who will restore our people at the right time.”

           Their conversation was interrupted by one of their Babylonian escorts, who called for the party to halt.  Out of the west, two horsemen galloped toward them – the scouts who had been sent out earlier to investigate the approaching caravan.  The horses, snorting and shaking their heads, were reined in by their riders.  Before the steeds settled down, the two warriors dismounted and approached, saluting their captain.  “Give me your report!,” he commanded.

           “Lord Naaman himself leads the troop which even now comes our way.  He orders us to join him in his triumphant return to Babylon.”  Turning to Daniel, the scout added, “Lord Naaman expresses his good wishes to you and eagerly anticipates your joining his command.”

           As their party resumed its trek towards Babylon with the intent of joining up with Naaman, Ezekiel turned to Daniel and said, “Now we shall have a rare opportunity to learn what he thinks of Judah’s new king – and what relationship our people can expect to enjoy with Babylon.”

           Daniel nodded his head, and said a prayer for his people.

Have you jumped into the middle of the story and want to “catch up”? Go to achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Chapter 18: Surviving the Blazing Furnace

The fire of the furnace leapt nearly fifteen feet into the air.  To the right of the furnace stood the idol of the god Marduk.  In the courtyard before the Isthar Gate, the people danced and sang as the musicians played their instruments.  Looking down on the crowd from atop a raised platform built for the occasion, Nebuchadnezzar sat with his new bride on their couches.  To the king’s right, Hamon had taken his place.  It was his show to preside over, and while he did not have Daniel in his clutches, the Chief Priest took satisfaction in knowing Daniel’s top three advisors would soon depart this world.

          At the king’s command, the furnace had been stoked to an unbearable level for those standing anywhere near it.  Their wrists bound, ankle shackles linked the three Hebrews together as they were dragged through the Ishtar gate into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.  Though they offered no resistance, six soldiers beat them and picked them up to cast them into the furnace.  As one, the three were thrown into the flames.  Like the mouth of a hungry animal, the fire roared, snapping out a tongue of flame.  Two of the soldiers were caught by the fiery eruption, and cried out in agony.  Though more soldiers attempted to extinguish their comrades, the two were burned beyond recognition or hope of survival.

          The music stopped.  The dancers ceased their whirling to watch the death of the two soldiers.  A piercing scream from Nebuchadnezzar’s bride jerked the Chaldeans’ attention back to the furnace, as she grabbed the king and pointed in its direction.

          “Hamon!” Nebuchadnezzar said, his breath coming in ragged gasps.  “Were not three men thrown into the furnace?”

          Unable to take his eyes from the furnace and its contents, Hamon answered weakly.  “Yes, O King.”

          “By the gods, I see four men loosed and walking about – and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”  The king looked around him at his people; saw the panic in their eyes.  At the moment that Marduk’s power should be celebrated, the Hebrews instead were making a mockery of his god.  If he did not act quickly, the panic hiding behind the onlookers’ eyes would quickly turn into a riot.  Nebuchadnezzar walked down from the raised platform in the direction of the furnace, and called for the three to come out.  All of the courtesans gathered ‘round the three Hebrews as they emerged from the fire unharmed.  Not only had they not been harmed by the blaze, but their clothing was untouched – not even smelling of smoke!  Yet their bindings were gone, burned off their wrists and ankles.

          “You are free to go,” Nebuchadnezzar said in a hushed voice to the three.  Once they had left, the king grabbed Hamon by the shoulders, a look of fear and desperation in his eyes.  “Now, for the first time, I fear Daniel and those whom he has chosen as his closest advisors.  In the face of our most sacred occasion, his God has made a mockery of us.  We must go and talk.  I need your help in knowing what to do.”

          Hamon was taken aback by Nebuchadnezzar’s reaction.  Surviving the fire had been a cheap magician’s trick.  He didn’t know how the three Hebrews had done it.  That did not matter.  What mattered was that they find a way to seize this opportunity to glorify Nebuchadnezzar, demonstrating that the Hebrews were still servants of Marduk and the other gods of Babylon.

Now, perhaps, he would have a chance to enlist the king’s aide in disposing of Daniel.  Yes!  There was still hope that he could eliminate the one man who stood in his way.  He smiled at the King, and put his arm around Nebuchadnezzar’s shoulder.  Hamon knew just what to do.

          “Come, Nebuchadnezzar, let us go speak in private.  I have a plan.”

Have you jumped into the middle of the story and want to “catch up”? Go to achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

Preparing to Cross the Jordan – Some Thoughts on the Life of a Church

 In the Sunday School class I’m teaching at church, we are studying the Book of Joshua.  The title for this study is “Joshua: Leading Into the Promised Land”.  In the past two weeks, we’ve read chapters 3 and 4 about how the Israelites crossed the River Jordan.  As we read these passages, the thing that struck me was the way Joshua approached this event – with reverence and intentionality.  To really grasp the significance of what is happening, I think it’s helpful to understand that when you read the first four chapters of Joshua, you are witnessing an event from several different viewpoints.

 In Chapter 1, verse 11, God tells Joshua that within 3 days, they will cross the Jordan – “so prepare provisions for yourselves”.  In Joshua 3:2-5, we pick up the story again at the start of this third day of preparations.  Joshua explains how the priests will carry the Ark of the Covenant, and every one will follow about 2,000 cubits behind.  This works out to be a distance of six tenths of a mile – the distance a Jew is allowed to travel on the Sabbath.  Furthermore, the people are to spend the day before the crossing in prayer.  As one reads Joshua 3:5, the people are instructed:

 Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

 Much of Chapter 4 explains the actual crossing of the Jordan, a boundary marking a transition or “baptism” into the new life the Children of Israel would enter into upon setting foot in the Promised Land.  What caught my eye as we studied this chapter was Joshua 4:19:

 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. 

 This is a significant day!  From Exodus 12:3 we read that this is the first day of the Passover week – the day when each family would have selected a lamb for sacrifice on Passover.  In the Christian calendar, we memorialize this day as Palm Sunday.

 As I reflect on this story, I can’t help but think about the efforts my church is taking to be dismissed from our denomination – and the importance of approaching this process with reverence and intentionality.  As I write this, our Session is preparing to formally petition the governing body of our denomination to hold a vote of the congregation to seek dismissal.  We know that they will want a significant portion of our congregation to participate – at least 50% of a 1,300 member body.

 Realistically, the only time to hold such a vote is on a Sunday, as people are coming to or leaving worship.  We will be asking our governing body that we be allowed to conduct the vote on the weekend of November 14 and 15 – and because of the decision process we must go through, we won’t have an answer until about two weeks before the requested date.   This places a great deal of pressure on us to adequately inform and prepare our congregation for that vote – assuming we receive permission to proceed.

 One last thought that God has impressed upon me as I read of the crossing of the Jordan in Joshua Chapter 4 is that this vote is not just about the membership of our church.  There are many people who are not members of our church who depend on the community ministries God has called us to provide.  These range from child and adult day care, to K – 7^th grade school, to language training for Burmese refugees, to sports ministry outreach, to global missions.  As a result, this vote is not simply a vote for us as church members, but for the world we reach for Christ.

 And that is the connection I find at the end of Joshua Chapter 4, a connection that says that as we go through this process, what we do has an impact on the wider community of people who are watching what we do, who, though they cannot vote, are praying for us.  In Chapter 4, verses 23-24, we read:

 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever. 

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Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Chapter 17 Cont. The Parade of Idols

          “It will not be long now,” Meshach said to his two friends.  “Look, here comes the barge carrying the statue of the god Anu, father of the Babylonian gods.”  Along with Shadrach and Abednego, Meshach watched as the great idol was brought to shore and off-loaded where Nebuchadnezzar sat at his gold table awaiting its arrival.  The idol had been transported downstream from its shrine.  This was the signal for every temple in Babylon to open.  Out of each shrine all the gods of the city, both great and small, were brought out to join Nebuchadnezzar and Anu as they traveled down the Processional Way to Esgalia.  The mass of priests, idols, officials, scribes and soldiers choked the Sacred Way as they transported the idols.  Behind them, the masses of the people followed, all intoxicated with mystic faith.  Behind them, soldiers herded members of the various exile communities forward.  Because they had been made overseers under the authority of Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego led the procession of the Hebrews toward the ziggurat of Entemenanki, and beyond it, Esgalia, the temple of Marduk.

          With Nebuchadnezzar at the head of the procession, he stopped at the base of Entemenanki.  There, priests brought a white bull to him.  Dazed from a drug so that it would pose no danger to the king, it stood by the altar awaiting its end.  Taking a long gold-hilted knife, Nebuchadnezzar cut its throat.  In a stupor, the bull stood for a few moments as its life’s blood spurted from its jugular before collapsing.  “O divine bull, thou art the shining light which illuminates the darkness!” Nebuchadnezzar intoned.

          The priests took the bull and burned it.  As the flames leaped up to consume the bull’s carcass, white smoke rose into the air.  In unison, the people behind Nebuchadnezzar chanted, as the king cried out, “Come out, Bel-Marduk!  The king awaits you!”

          “This is the moment we have awaited,” Abednego said.  “When the time comes, we must do as Daniel told us and not bow down.”  The other two nodded their assent, and watched.

          In response to Nebuchadnezzar, Hamon recited the last part of the Creation Poem, taking now the voice of Marduk:

If I, your avenger

Must make you live,

Exalt and proclaim my destiny.

Let the word of my mouth, even as yours, establish destinies.

Let all that I do remain unchanged.

          It was now high noon, the sun directly above the temple of Esagila.  Slowly, the gate to the temple swung open, a young nubile priestess strode into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.  Dressed in wedding attire, she would become his wife for the coming year, joining his harem thereafter.  Behind her a fifteen foot statue of the god Marduk was rolled out to greet the king, signaling the god’s resurrection.

          This was the signal to the musicians to strike their cymbals and chimes.  Along the east wall of the ziggurat Entemenanki, thousands of servants in unison lifted placards into place.  When seen from afar, they displayed the symbol of Babylon, a lion with eagle’s wings.  The face on the lion was that of Nebuchadnezzar, their king.  The people bowed down to worship their god-king, who was now the god Marduk incarnate on earth, as Hamon called out:

I will praise his godhead,

Proclaim his might,

Sing his strength,

Celebrate his valor!

Marduk the compassionate, the merciful,

To whom it is profitable to turn!

He it is who hearkens to my prayer,

Who grants the favors which appease the hearer!

          Amidst the noise and shouting, Nebuchadnezzar turned with his new queen, the statue of Marduk behind them, to lead the march back across the Processional Way.  Along both sides of the road, as the music played and the priests chanted, all the people bowed down to worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar upon the wall of Etemeniaki.

          All except the three Hebrews.  As Nebuchadnezzar came upon them, he stopped and pointed at them.  “You are servants in the Court of Babylon,” he said.  “I command you to bow down as have all the rest, or die.”

          Shadrach, the eldest of the three, stepped forward to speak for all of them.  “Great Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, what you ask is impossible for us to perform.  Do with us as you will.  Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the furnace you have prepared.  But even if He chooses not to do so, Oh King, know that we can never bow down and serve any image of any god.”  When he had finished, Shadrach stepped back to stand with the others.  They stood in silence, knowing that their actions invited Nebuchadnezzar to order their deaths.

          Finally, Nebuchadnezzar could stand it no longer.  “You will be thrown into the furnace which Hamon has prepared,” he said , his voice trembling with rage.  “Tonight, at the rising of the Full Moon, your charred corpses shall illuminate the feasting that all Babylon shall partake in.”  As a dozen guards knocked the three to the ground to bind and carry them off, Nebuchadnezzar led the Procession of the Gods forward.

achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Conversations with the Culture: Schindler’s List

Oskar, there’s a clerical error here at the bottom of the last page

No, It’s correct. It’s just that I’ve started counting people instead of money.

    Digging Deeper

Schindler’s List is a movie based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a vain, greedy German businessman who tried to make his fortune during the Second World War by exploiting cheap Jewish labor.  In the process, however, he became a humanitarian amidst the barbaric Nazi reign as his conscience convicted him of the need to turn his factory into a refuge for the Jews. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) managed to save 1,100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp.  By the end of the war, Schindler, though penniless, amassed an untold wealth through the lives he saved.  To see a video clip from the movie, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DyOc1q-qgQ  

When you watch the movie, you are left with the stark realization of how evil man can be.  The movie is all shot in black and white, with one exception.  A young girl, perhaps six years old, is seen running through the Jewish ghettos in a red coat.  We see Oskar Schindler observing her from a roof top.  Then, later, as soot comes down from the sky, Schindler visits the place where the Jews are being burned – and sees the girl being taken in a wheel barrel to be burned with over 10,000 exhumed Jews.  

 From one perspective, we can look at something like the Holocaust and ask; “How could a good God allow this to happen?”  The implication of the question is that NO god, good or otherwise, exists.  But on the other hand, if no god exists, then why does Schindler risk his life and all that he has to save 1,100 Jews?  How does a “moral law” – a conscience – convict him of the need to take action unless there is a god who has planted this concept inside him?

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes this about what he calls “The Moral Law“: 

Another way of seeing the Moral Law is not simply one of our instincts is this. If two instincts are in conflict, and there is nothing in a creature’s mind except those two instincts, obviously the stronger of the two must win. But at those moments when we are most conscious of the Moral Law, it usually seems to be telling us to side with the weaker of the two impulses. You probably want to be safe much more than you want to help the man who is drowning; but the Moral Law tells you to help him all the same.    

Schindler is not the only person who senses the power of this moral law. At the end of the movie, when it has been announced that Germany has surrendered, with all the Jews in his factory and the Nazi soldiers present, he turns to the soldiers and says:

I know you have received orders from our commandant, which he has received from his superiors, to dispose of the population of this camp. Now would be the time to do it. Here they are; they’re all here. This is your opportunity. Or, you could leave, and return to your families as men instead of murderers.       

Upon hearing this, the soldiers are seen to slowly leave the building, not one of them willing to fire a shot. You see, others had also heard the call of this inward tug of the moral law, but Schindler was one of the few who responded. Schindler’s whole mindset has been transformed. In Romans 12:2-3, the Apostle Paul writes.   

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

 

In the quiet of your heart, has God been trying to get your attention, pricking your conscience about doing the right thing?   

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Chapter17 Cont. The Feast of Akitu

          The feast of Akitu was in its fifth day.  Celebrated in the month the Hebrews called Nisan during the spring equinox, it marked Babylon’s New Year celebration, exalting herself, her riches, her science, her king and her gods.  For the last five days, the city had been engulfed in one unending carnival, interrupted with religious ceremonies conducted by the priests.  All thought of the people’s daily lives had been put aside as the priests focused their attention, between drunken parties, on what the New Year would hold if the city was blessed by Marduk.

           At precisely sunrise of the sixth day, Hamon walked out onto the second level of Esagila.  Raising his arms, he began the Poem of Creation, crying out to Marduk:

“Marduk, unequaled in thy wrath,

Marduk, kind King, Lord of the Lands,

Who makes the Great Gods favorable,

Lord of Kings, Light of Mankind,

Who dost allot portions,

Thou dost control oracles; with thine eyes thou dost give the law.

Lord of the lands of the city of Babylon,

Have mercy on the children of Babylon!

          Behind him, eunuchs purified the sanctuary with water from the Euphrates River.  A chant rose from the lips of the temple priests, who swayed to the rhythmic beat of their words.  The sound reverberated throughout the city, as the population joined in the chant.

          Then, abruptly, the chanting stopped.  Hamon again took up the Narration of the Poem of Creation of the world by the gods:

E-Nu-Ma elis la na-b-usa-ma-mu

When the heaven above was not named,

And the earth below had no name,

And no name was uttered, and no destiny was established,

The gods were created, one after another, and time went by.

Then Tiamat, god of Chaos, mated with her husband Kingu,

Giving birth to unspeakable monsters,

And Kingu led them in an assault on heaven,

Against the army of evil, the gods arrayed themselves,

And Marduk alone was capable of commanding them.”

          At that, the population of the city erupted with shouts of praise.  For if the gods had chosen Marduk, the god of Babylon to be their master, did it not follow that Babylon was called to be the mistress of the world?  After the cheering subsided, Hamon continued the narration, intoning the reply of Marduk to the gods.

If I, your avenger,

Must chain Tiamat and make you live,

Make an assembly; exalt and proclaim my destiny.

And so the gods did as Marduk requested, saying,

We have given thee the kingship over the whole earth.

Let thy destiny be first among the gods,

To destroy and to create.

Speak, and it shall be so.

But cut off the life of Tiamat.

          The pitch of his voice rising, Hamon recounted the slaying of Tiamat, and how Marduk divided her like a fish into two parts, the day and the night, thus creating the world.  He recited the age old story of how Marduk then took the blood of Kingu, the husband of Tiamat, and created Man.  Then came the portion of the story which elicited great cries of grief from the people.

Then Bel-Hittiti, the god of the underworld,

Grew jealous of the glory that was Marduk’s.

And so he came upon our god,

And as he slept, slew Marduk.

            A ripple of cries went forth from the citizens of Babylon at the utterance of this portion of the poem.  Then, with one voice, they cried out:  “Call Marduk back to life!”

achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html