ISSL Reflections May 30, 2021, Jonah 3 Post 2

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You can reread our focus passage of Jonah 3 here –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%203&version=NRSV

And it would probably be a good idea to also read Jonah 1 –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%201&version=NRSV

V.
In Jonah 3 we hear from Jonah and see the city’s response to Jonah’s “successful preaching mission.” Everybody likes a success story, don’t they?

But how does Jonah get there? What leads him to “preaching” to the city of Nineveh?

VI.
As we read Jonah 1 we see a man on the run from God. He knows what he is supposed to do, right? He knows where he is to do it, right? And he goes the other way. Goes to extremes to move away from God.

How hard did Jonah “run from” God?

But, can we also ask “How hard did God “run after” Jonah”?

VII.
Can you remember when you ever “ran from” God?

Can you recall how God “ran after” you?

Where were you when God found you?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 30, 2021, Jonah 3 Post 1

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I.
This week closes out our time with the Hebrew prophets and we turn our attention to Jonah. We focus first on chapter 3 of Jonah’s story.

As you read this week’s Scripture, notice who all we encounter and what they say and do.

II.
Jonah 3

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.”

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

III.
Did you notice how this portion of the account begins?

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Get up, go to Nineveh….”

“ … a second time … “

This account starts in chapter 1 with,

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1:1-3)

So, Jonah is not one of those folk selected by God for a task, who immediately reply to God’s direction in the affirmative and set about on their appointed mission?

Apparently not! Jonah flees, runs from, attempts to escape from God’s presence and God’s call on his life.

You might say that is not a great beginning for this fellow and the possibility of accomplishing his mission.

IV.
But here we are in chapter 3 of his story and he has made it to Nineveh after all, walks through the city, delivers his message and … what response follows?

As you reread this chapter and notice what follows Jonah delivering his message. What do you think about this? A man is selected for a God-given task, avoids the task, then has a second chance to follow God’s call, and what are the results?

What does this lead you to notice about Jonah, the King of Nineveh, and God?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 23, 2021, Ezekiel 18:1-9, 30-32 Post 3

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The focus passage in the NRSV translation can be found at –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+18%3A1-9%2C+30-32&version=NRSV

VII.
As we look at this passage today, I invite you to focus on those sentences that offer some descriptions of what a righteous life might look like,

Ezekiel 18:5-9

If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right— if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period, does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties, follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

VIII.
I fear too often we might look at such and make a “check-list” out of them. If we do, 1 and 2 and 3 and etc, then we are righteous. We arrive at “righteous” by keeping the rules. That is the easy thing to do.

I suspect the better (and harder) thing to do is to look at the “list” as a way to prime our mind and spirit to recognize in our own lives some of the forms right standing with God and our neighbors might take on.

Take some time to review this passage and see what it means to you to “Turn, then, and live” (Ezekiel 18:32), recalling the words Ezekiel heard from God, “As I live, says the Lord God, … Know that all lives are mine” (Ezekiel 18:3,4)

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 23, 2021, Ezekiel 18:1-9, 30-32 Post 2

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The focus passage in the NRSV translation can be found at –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+18%3A1-9%2C+30-32&version=NRSV

IV.
Did you notice Ezekiel mentions a proverb that seems to have been known and repeated by the people,

“The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (18:2)

And follows up by saying,

“As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.” (18:3)

The same thing is referenced by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:27) who follows it with,

“The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” (Jeremiah 31:31)

V.
A new covenant?

If you follow Ezekiel’s litany of what a righteous man does (Ezekiel 18:5-18) you are hard pressed to find much “new.”

Notice how other translations handle the proverb –

“Sour grapes eaten by parents leave a sour taste in the mouths of their children.” (Common English Version)

“The fathers eat sour grapes, But it is the children’s teeth that have become blunt.” (New American Standard Bible)

“The fathers eat sour grapes, And the children’s teeth become numb.” (New English Translation)


And in the New English Translation this note is offered,

[The word translated numb, in other use] “it refers to the bluntness of an ax that has not been sharpened. Here the ‘bluntness’ of the teeth is not due to grinding them down because of the bitter taste of sour grapes but to the fact that they have lost their ‘edge,’ ‘bite,’ or ‘sharpness’ because they are numb from the sour taste.”

VI.
What “new” is Ezekiel (and Jeremiah) pointing out?

How the parents are to live? How the children are to live?

“New” covenant laws and rules and standards for living?

What of the “old” does this “new” overthrow?

If we are to leave behind this “old” proverb and take up how it explains “new” life is to be lived in God’s kingdom, how do we live with one another and with God?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections – May 23, 2021 – Ezekiel 18:1-9, 30-32 Post 1

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I.
This week we turn to Ezekial’s words that at once can be heard as a challenge and as a path opening to renewal of God’s covenant with the people.

As you read this passage pay attention to not only what you read but notice what stops you. Where do you find yourself pausing and rereading? What words stand out to you above the rest?

II.
Ezekiel 18:1-9

The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right— if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period, does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties, follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

Ezekiel 18:30-32

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.

III.
What held your attention in Ezekiel’s words?

Allow me a moment to show you something I noticed.

… As I live, says the Lord God … (18:3)

… Know that all lives are mine … (18:4)

… If a man is righteous and …. he shall surely live (18:5, 9)

… Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live. (18:31-32)

It seems to me the call to life and the promise of life run throughout Ezekiel’s words.

Do you see that as a theme in this passage?

What do you notice that calls us to life and sustains that life with God?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 16, 2021 Jeremiah 38:14-23 Post 3

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This week’s passage can be found at –
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jeremiah+38%3A14-23&version=NRSV

VII.
The more I look at King Zedekiah and more I listen to him, the more questions I have.

He seeks out the advice or better the counsel of the prophet Jeremiah. But he doesn’t incorporate that counsel into his actions.

Does he simply misunderstand Jeremiah? To me that doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s not a problem of the actual physical hearing the words of Jeremiah.

Maybe he is like others who want to hear advice from many perspectives and then decide what is best to do? I guess that could be.

I doubt he has a problem understanding the import of Jeremiah’s vision. His reaction suggests to me he fully sees where it would take him.

VIII.
What about how he reacts to the advice from his officials or from Ebed-melech? Does he always do whatever someone tells him to do? In these two classes he goes back and forth from agreeing to Jeremiah’s death and then to a plan to save him.

Why? Does he want to be able to hear from Jeremiah after all? But then he doesn’t follow the path Jeremiah offers him.

IX.
All this leads me to wonder what is at the core of King Zedekiah’s character? What is his deepest desire and hope?

What is his hope for himself?

And for that matter since he is the King, what is his hope for his nation?

Then again, maybe at the center of his being he is more concerned about himself and his safety and his future than that of the nation or maybe anyone else.

When we look at an account like this one, we may be led to ask such questions of an individual like King Zedekiah (or even Ebed-melech or Jeremiah), but does it lead us to ask such questions about ourselves?

Perhaps I need to ask myself do I have an anchor that holds fast when I am faced with decisions? Or, do I simply act on the loudest or last thing I hear?

Now that I write that out, it seems to make me a little uncomfortable to have the question before me.

What about you?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 16, 2021 Jeremiah 38:14-23 Post 2

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Today I’ve included a link to Jeremiah 38 and 39, which reaches beyond our focus passage but gives an overview of the entire episode
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jeremiah+38+-+39&version=NRSV

V.
My attention over the last couple of days keeps being drawn back to King Zedekiah.

Let’s review a few things about the King –

His officials call for the death of Jeremiah and the King hands him over saying, “Here he is, he is in your hands.” (Jeremiah 38:4-5)

And it is added, maybe from the King’s own words, “… the king is powerless against you.” (Jeremiah 39:5)

Then the officials do not kill Jeremiah but drop him in a dry well. We are given no explanation for this but it seems the King had no hand in it. (Jeremiah 38:6)

Next Ebed-melech speaks to the King telling him of Jeremiah’s condition, “My lord king, these men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern to die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” (Jeremiah 38:9)

The King’s response is to get Jeremiah out of the well, “Take three men with you from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies.” (Jeremiah 39:10)

Next we see the King asking advice from Jeremiah and asking him to be completely forthcoming and honest, “I have something to ask you; do not hide anything from me.” (Jeremiah 38:14)

Jeremiah doesn’t trust the King, “If I tell you, you will put me to death, will you not? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” (Jeremiah 39:15)

The King swears to Jeremiah he will not hurt him, “As the Lord lives, who gave us our lives, I will not put you to death or hand you over to these men who seek your life.” (Jeremiah 38:16)

Jeremiah advises the King to surrender, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be handed over to the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand.” (Jeremiah 38:17-18)

The King tells Jeremiah he fears the Judeans who have deserted him, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over to them and they would abuse me.” (Jeremiah 38:19)

Jeremiah seems to attempt to assure the King of what would be a good outcome for him and also tells him of what awaits if he does not heed the vision Jeremiah has shared, “a vision of all the women remaining in the house of the king of Judah being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and saying, Your trusted friends have seduced you and have overcome you; Now that your feet are stuck in the mud, they desert you. All your wives and your children shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire.” (Jeremiah 38:22-23)

The King’s response to Jeremiah is to tell him to keep all this conversation secret, “Do not let anyone else know of this conversation, or you will die.” (Jeremiah 38:24)

Chapter 39 gives a description of the fall of Jerusalem and the defeat of the King.

VI.
What choices did the King have and what choices did he make?

How does the King impress you?

What would you say lies at the core of his personality?

What would you say is the chief motivation of the King?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 16, 2021 Jeremiah 38:14-23 Post 1

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I.
This week our focus is on a conversation between King Zedekaih and the prophet Jeremiah.

As you spend time with this Scripture listen to each man and watch them. What to hear in their voices? Do you hear concern, fear, hope, despair? What might you see in their faces as they look at one another and speak to each other?

II.
Jeremiah 38:14-23

King Zedekiah sent for the prophet Jeremiah and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord. The king said to Jeremiah, “I have something to ask you; do not hide anything from me.” Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, you will put me to death, will you not? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” So King Zedekiah swore an oath in secret to Jeremiah, “As the Lord lives, who gave us our lives, I will not put you to death or hand you over to these men who seek your life.”

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be handed over to the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand.” King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over to them and they would abuse me.” Jeremiah said, “That will not happen. Just obey the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall go well with you, and your life shall be spared. But if you are determined not to surrender, this is what the Lord has shown me— a vision of all the women remaining in the house of the king of Judah being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and saying,

‘Your trusted friends have seduced you
and have overcome you;
Now that your feet are stuck in the mud,
they desert you.’

All your wives and your children shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire.”

III.
If you read the first part of Jeremiah 38, you see Jeremiah had already told the people of the coming destruction of their city, and the reaction of the King’s officials calling for Jeremiah’s death,

“This man ought to be put to death, because he is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.” (Jeremiah 38:4)

Then, King Zedekiah’s acquiescence to the officials, and officials not killing Jeremiah but instead,

“Here he is; he is in your hands; for the king is powerless against you.” So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. Now there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud. (Jeremiah 38:5-6)

And then, Ebed-melech interceding with the King and the King agreeing to Jeremiah’s rescue from the well (Jeremiah 38:7-13).

IV.
With that background in mind reread the focus passage (Jeremiah 38:14-23).

What impressions do you have of the King? Of Jeremiah? Of the men surrounding King Zedekiah?

If you were asked to describe the character of King Zedekiah and Jeremiah what would you name as the two or three or four things that stand out to you?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 9, 2021, Isaiah 29:13-24 Post 3

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VII.
In the Scripture passage we read this week, what did Isaiah see and hear in his day that led him to believe the people were not on the path of covenant life with God?

Maybe we could make a list. Here a few things I notice –

The people’s personal investment in their worship practices were lacking something –

these people draw near with their mouths
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote; (Isaiah 29:13)

Some spend more time thinking about doing harm than doing good –

For the tyrant shall be no more,
and the scoffer shall cease to be;
all those alert to do evil shall be cut off (Isaiah 29:20)

What people often regard as the smart ways to get ahead not always lasting –

The wisdom of their wise shall perish,
and the discernment of the discerning shall be hidden. (Isaiah 29:14)

People can no longer look to find justice in the courts –

those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit,
who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate,
and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right. (Isaiah 29:21)

Isaiah’s disappointment with the people is not just about things “religious” or what we often call “spiritual” but extends to every part of life including what the folk think are the “smart” ways to live and behave and seeing justice done for all people not just those with power to force their “justice” on others lacking resources and power.

What else do you see that gives Isaiah cause to weep for the people and to call them to the way of the covenant?

VIII.
What does Isaiah offer as the way to bring the people back to the covenant?

You turn things upside down!
Shall the potter be regarded as the clay?
Shall the thing made say of its maker,
“He did not make me”;
or the thing formed say of the one who formed it,
“He has no understanding”? (Isaiah 29:16)

… and maybe …

On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a scroll,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 29:18-19)

How are these words from The Prophet actualized –

they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,
and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
And those who err in spirit will come to understanding,
and those who grumble will accept instruction. (Isaiah 29:23-22)

Might Isaiah’s observations fit not just in Isaiah’s day but maybe in our day also?

How does God call me to live as part of the Kingdom of God?

Take a moment more to read these words in The Message translation and notice what they bring to mind for you –

Isaiah 29:13-24 (The Message)

“These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their hearts aren’t in it.
Because they act like they’re worshiping me
but don’t mean it,
I’m going to step in and shock them awake,
astonish them, stand them on their ears.
The wise ones who had it all figured out
will be exposed as fools.
The smart people who thought they knew everything
will turn out to know nothing.”

Doom to you! You pretend to have the inside track.
You shut God out and work behind the scenes,
Plotting the future as if you knew everything,
acting mysterious, never showing your hand.
You have everything backward!
You treat the potter as a lump of clay.
Does a book say to its author,
“He didn’t write a word of me”?
Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it,
“She had nothing to do with this”?

And then before you know it,
and without you having anything to do with it,
Wasted Lebanon will be transformed into lush gardens,
and Mount Carmel reforested.
At that time the deaf will hear
word-for-word what’s been written.
After a lifetime in the dark,
the blind will see.
The castoffs of society will be laughing and dancing in God,
the down-and-outs shouting praise to The Holy of Israel.
For there’ll be no more gangs on the street.
Cynical scoffers will be an extinct species.
Those who never missed a chance to hurt or demean
will never be heard of again:
Gone the people who corrupted the courts,
gone the people who cheated the poor,
gone the people who victimized the innocent.

And finally this, God’s Message for the family of Jacob,
the same God who redeemed Abraham:
“No longer will Jacob hang his head in shame,
no longer grow gaunt and pale with waiting.
For he’s going to see his children,
my personal gift to him—lots of children.
And these children will honor me
by living holy lives.
In holy worship they’ll honor the Holy One of Jacob
and stand in holy awe of the God of Israel.
Those who got off-track will get back on-track,
and complainers and whiners will learn gratitude.”

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}

ISSL Reflections May 9, 2021, Isaiah 29:13-24 Post 2

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This link will take you to our Scripture focus for the week-
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+29%3A13-24&version=NRSV

IV.
I have often become frustrated with Scripture passages like this one and like I see so often in the Psalms.

There is some part of me that wants the Prophet (or Psalmist) to stay on point.

That is I want one theme, one point, one consistent word from the speaker.

I don’t want this going back and forth between accusation and promise, words of judgement, if you will, and words of promise for some future time.

I can’t say I fully know why I feel that way, except maybe it makes things “easier” for me to understand.

Or, at least it used to.

V.
Maybe there is another reason.

I closed the last post by asking “After you have rested in the Prophet’s words, what do you find draws you the most? His words of accusation or words of promise?”

Have you ever known folk who love to hear the words of judgement? It seems to me they delight in that kind of tone. Kinda like, “God’s coming to get you and give you a whipping! Get ready for it!”

Those folk seem more (or mostly, or entirely) drawn to the words of accusation and judgement.

Others are drawn to the words of promise and hope and perhaps would prefer not to hear of problems and failures at all.

VI.
What do you want to hear today from the Prophet? What do you need to hear today from the Prophet?

I’m coming to the opinion I need to hear from a Prophet who can speak realistically of both problems that surround us (some of which we might personally have created), and speak of the reality of the kind of hope that is part of the core of the Kingdom of God Jesus spoke of and drew pictures of for us.

What pictures is the Prophet Isaiah drawing for us? Pictures of his time and maybe ever pictures of our day and age.

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}