3.17.25
Good morning!
The Word of God tells us that Passover is to be celebrated on a certain day and in a certain way. It sounds 'legalistic' (in the negative sense), but God is particular in how and when He likes things done (Ex. 12; Ex. 34:25; Lev. 23; Num. 9; Deut. 16; Matt. 26:19). When we create our own 'holy days' it changes a beautiful Passover into a golden calf (Ex. 32). I must admit that we (speaking of me, myself and I) have taken Yahweh's Word too lightly and we've turned it into a free for all where as long as we use 'godly' terminology it must be acceptable in Yahweh's eyes.
It's the small steps away from the unchanging truth that lead us down a path of self-justification in our own eyes and our view of how Yahweh views us.
Let me express one ultimate expression that comes as a result of these little deviations. Ezekiel is making an accusation against Israel when he says,
"You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols/tsalme zakar and engaged in prostitution with them.
(Eze. 16:17).
Why gender specific idols? Enquiring minds want to know. If we go back to Ezekiel 16:2 and read through verse 43, we will notice that Yahweh compares Jerusalem to a woman, once rejected, then restored, beautiful and desirable. Then she opens herself to pagan lovers and spurns the God of Israel. In fact, nearly the entire section speaks of Jerusalem’s prostitution, nakedness and immoral behavior. Now we know why the text reads tsalme zakar. These aren’t just any ole idols; they are phallic symbols. Yahweh accuses Jerusalem of being so infatuated with the lust of the pagan world that it created phallic objects to slake its sexual hunger. No wonder the translators chose to modify the imagery. But Yahweh didn’t. He used as graphic an image as possible to make sure the audience didn’t miss the picture. Sex is the subject. Sexual debauchery is the accusation. Guilty is the verdict. OUCH!
Why shouldn’t we just quickly skip over all this as too embarrassing for Holy Writ? Because if we avoid the real imagery we will also miss the crucial point. The covenant relationship between God and Israel is a marriage; a marriage of exclusive, unbreakable, eternal commitment. All the intimacy that belongs in a marriage is the backdrop to Yahweh’s interaction with Israel. All the devotion. All the care. All the affection. All the tenderness. And all the rage at betrayal, the agony over adultery, the suffering over unfaithfulness.
Now go back and read verses 2 to 43 again...aren't I demanding this morning :-). Do you see a rebuffed lover? Do you discover a slighted suitor? Can you appreciate the hurt Yahweh suffers when the only one He loves plays sexual games with another? Love in Scripture is a spontaneous feeling which impels self-giving, grasping that which causes it, or to pleasurable activity. It involves the inner person. Since it has a sexual basis, it is directed supremely to persons. Yahweh is more interested in sexuality than you thought. Perhaps if we understood His perspective our intimacy with Him would change.
Perhaps if we understood His perspective on love and how to love, we wouldn't prostitute His Moedim. Forgive us all Father. We've all been guilty! May it not be so in the days ahead.
More on this, in a positive light, on our zoom call tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST, 699 858 9149 "Why did God have His bride strip off her wedding adornments/adi and will He allow her to put them back on?"
Love is always about giving what the other person needed desires, not what I want to give.
Passover is 3 weeks away. Prepare your heart and expect more freedom than you could have ever imagined :-)
Happy 2nd day of the week!
Shalom
It's the small steps away from the unchanging truth that lead us down a path of self-justification in our own eyes and our view of how Yahweh views us.
Let me express one ultimate expression that comes as a result of these little deviations. Ezekiel is making an accusation against Israel when he says,
"You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols/tsalme zakar and engaged in prostitution with them.
(Eze. 16:17).
Why gender specific idols? Enquiring minds want to know. If we go back to Ezekiel 16:2 and read through verse 43, we will notice that Yahweh compares Jerusalem to a woman, once rejected, then restored, beautiful and desirable. Then she opens herself to pagan lovers and spurns the God of Israel. In fact, nearly the entire section speaks of Jerusalem’s prostitution, nakedness and immoral behavior. Now we know why the text reads tsalme zakar. These aren’t just any ole idols; they are phallic symbols. Yahweh accuses Jerusalem of being so infatuated with the lust of the pagan world that it created phallic objects to slake its sexual hunger. No wonder the translators chose to modify the imagery. But Yahweh didn’t. He used as graphic an image as possible to make sure the audience didn’t miss the picture. Sex is the subject. Sexual debauchery is the accusation. Guilty is the verdict. OUCH!
Why shouldn’t we just quickly skip over all this as too embarrassing for Holy Writ? Because if we avoid the real imagery we will also miss the crucial point. The covenant relationship between God and Israel is a marriage; a marriage of exclusive, unbreakable, eternal commitment. All the intimacy that belongs in a marriage is the backdrop to Yahweh’s interaction with Israel. All the devotion. All the care. All the affection. All the tenderness. And all the rage at betrayal, the agony over adultery, the suffering over unfaithfulness.
Now go back and read verses 2 to 43 again...aren't I demanding this morning :-). Do you see a rebuffed lover? Do you discover a slighted suitor? Can you appreciate the hurt Yahweh suffers when the only one He loves plays sexual games with another? Love in Scripture is a spontaneous feeling which impels self-giving, grasping that which causes it, or to pleasurable activity. It involves the inner person. Since it has a sexual basis, it is directed supremely to persons. Yahweh is more interested in sexuality than you thought. Perhaps if we understood His perspective our intimacy with Him would change.
Perhaps if we understood His perspective on love and how to love, we wouldn't prostitute His Moedim. Forgive us all Father. We've all been guilty! May it not be so in the days ahead.
More on this, in a positive light, on our zoom call tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST, 699 858 9149 "Why did God have His bride strip off her wedding adornments/adi and will He allow her to put them back on?"
Love is always about giving what the other person needed desires, not what I want to give.
Passover is 3 weeks away. Prepare your heart and expect more freedom than you could have ever imagined :-)
Happy 2nd day of the week!
Shalom
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