Old Testament Heaven?
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Psalm 73:24 ESV
Glory – This verse certainly appears to support an afterlife in heaven, doesn’t it? If this is so, it is one of the few verses in the Tanakh that indicates a heavenly reward for the righteous. Of course, there’s just one small problem. The translation is more about what we think than it is about what Asaph says. If we want to know what Asaph means, we will have to back up to the 10th Century BC before we add a heavenly afterward.
Some parts of this verse are clear enough. God guides (naha – to lead, guide) with His counsel (‘atsat). The Tanakh is consistent in its claim that the counsel of the Lord is eternal, unchangeable and reliable. Asaph can do no better than this. “Listen and obey” is the only secret to life’s fulfillment.
“Afterward” is our familiar Hebrew word ‘ahar (remember ‘aharit?). Asaph reminds us that rowing a boat requires alignment with where God has been, not vision-casting about the future. After following God’s counsel (instructions), Asaph says he will be rewarded. There is no question that this takes time and perseverance. The only question is what kind of reward he expects. And to answer that question we must investigate kavod tikaheni.
Let’s start with the verb, laqah (in our sentence, tikaheni – “you take me”). The verb has a wide range of meanings. “To take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, acquire, buy, bring, marry and snatch.” Do you notice something about all these meanings? Not one focuses on heavenly subjects. Everything about laqah is right here in this environment. It would be inappropriate to say that I fetch, lay hold of, seize, acquire, buy, marry or snatch kavod (glory). The only possible application of laqah would be the meaning “take.” But no man can “take” glory for himself. Glory belongs to God alone. Asaph’s use of laqah requires us to be very careful about its application to kavod. While the ESV translation pushes us to think of “glory” as a substitute place name for heaven, the Hebrew context isn’t quite that clear. The problem is the introduction of a preposition that isn’t in the text. ESV adds “to” (“receive me to glory). Alter adds “toward” (“toward glory you took me”). Notice that the ESV puts the statement in the future tense (you will receive me), but there is no justification for this. The Hebrew tense is preterite, a past tense form. Alter is correct. It should read, “You took me.” But this makes things even more confusing. Asaph uses the opening word ‘ahar (afterward), so how can the tense be in the past? Clearly Asaph is not looking over the horizon. He is saying that after he was grasped by God and listened to His counsel, kavod came. Somehow God was responsible for this kavod, but it seems clear that it has already occurred. There is no suggestion here that Asaph awaits some heavenly future reward. Listening and obeying changed his life and he experienced kavod.
If it’s not about heaven, then what is this all about? The Hebrew kavod means a lot more than glory. In fact, its primary meaning is “heavy.” It expresses something of weight, of value. Almost always it is used figuratively to describe importance, honor or glory of someone or something. This is the sense of kavod applied to God. While the glory of all creation fades, God alone retains final honor and importance. Perhaps Asaph is saying nothing more than what he will later summarize in the last verse. He has been drawn into the presence of the King and in His presence, Asaph has experienced a taste of glory. That happens right here on earth.
But I think Asaph is a bit more clever. Certainly he is not an evangelical. He isn’t looking for a heavenly reward. That would be out of character with the rest of the Tanakh and with all we know about the cultures of the ancient near-East. We have seen Asaph employ double meanings time and again, and here he may be doing the same because kavod is also associated with what is great, with reputation and with abundance. Asaph’s entire concern is with the wealth and power of the wicked. They seem to have kavod, that is, prestige, honor, riches, importance. But Asaph recognizes that the counsel of God leads to another kind of kavod, the kind that has true honor and glory. Perhaps Asaph is drawing us into a comparison. Which kind of glory are we after? Which kind matters? Which kind lasts? Asaph isn’t telling us that after a life of obedience we will be ushered into heaven. He is telling us that rescue followed by attention to divine counsel produces kavod now! It’s not “to glory bye-and-bye” nor is it “toward glory.” It is “glory You took me.” Reputation, honor, abundance, importance – all those things that he envied in the wicked – have become his because God took him there.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe Asaph. Sometimes it looks like all the glory goes to those who pursue it. Sometimes it feels like lent all year long – what else do we have to give up. Asaph tells us it is a matter of choice. Not to be driven by the seduction of the yetzer ha’ra is to be taken into the presence of the King. But sometimes we are seduced by the edge.
Topical Index: take, laqah, glory, kavod, Psalm 73:24
“But sometimes we are seduced by the edge.”
Hmmm
Makes me think of the movie Heat
And the following lines, spoken by the cop, played by Al Pacino as Vincent Hanna
Vincent Hanna: “I say what I mean, and I do what I say”
and
Vincent Hanna: I gotta hold on to my angst. I preserve it because I need it. It keeps me sharp, on the edge, where I gotta be
THAT SOUNDS JUST LIKE GOD/JESUS…
“Vincent Hanna: ****“I say what I mean, and I do what I say”****
****“I say what I mean, and I do what I say”****
Hi Jan,
Well I tend to think of the line above as a kind of “golden rule”
And my guess is that Al Pacino (Vincent Hanna) read Mark 12:30 in preparation for the role
For me Jesus comes across with a very similar impact when he says to the scribe:
“There is no commandment greater than these two”
1. God is the one Lord and you must love Him with all your Heart
2. You must love your neighbor as yourself
So you are saying that the Tanakh does not support a heavenly reward for the righteous? What exactly does that mean?
“Tanakh does not support a heavenly reward”
Hi Lori,
In my view focusing on “heavenly rewards” is a kind of Bad Faith
As the French existentialist philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre, argued some years a ago; and whom I was just thinking about a while ago as I was walking my dog Max
We are supposed to be doing good things because they are the “right thing” to do (what God wants in the Hebrew worldview)
NOT because we are going to get a Heavenly reward
Although Sartre argued as an atheist, his point does have theological ramifications IMO
We are supposed to be doing the “right thing” (a good movie by Spike Lee)
Because it is the right thing to do (regardless of the consequences)
“Do the Right Thing”
In my previous comment, I mention a movie called Heat and a cop called Vincent Hanna:
Vincent Hanna: “I gotta hold on to my angst.”
Jean Paul Sartre’s heroes were a little less Heroic than Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino
And, for Sartre, anxiety was a fundamental aspect of authentic existence in this world
Caused in part by our freedom to choose and the responsibility we have for our actions
Sartre’s first novel, The Nausea, examines how our existential freedom can affect us
Typically, in my experience, life is not so simple as a choice between “eating pork” or not
Or lying or not or cheating or not or stealing or not or committing adultery or not
Things would be pretty simple if it were so
For me, more often than not, life is about two choices
Neither of which is without negative consequences
And both of which typically go “against the grain”
Causing a certain amount of anxiety and nausea
Maybe it’s just old age 🙂
from the song of Asaph (Psalm 73)
Asaph started well but for a brief moment “stumbled” and became like many of us, a Mug-Womp. How would a Mug-Womp be defined? There are so many of us today who belong to this special group of people, “the MugWomps.” James further describes sheeple who are afflicted with this self-inflicted disease as “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Asaph was distracted. His focus was out-of-kilter. He was a fence-straddler, having his “mug” on one side and his “womp” on the other. He was according to Asaph’s own admission, “envious of the wicked.” At first glance, we would say- “huh?” But after further introspection, I would have to agree with Asaph.. Admittedly, I too have “been there- done that.”
May I? May I call this for what it is? – Carl, you are afflicted with the sin of covetousness. You inwardly want, (don’t you)- what belongs to another. You are erroneously thinking (stinkin’- thinkin’) God loves “that man”- the man who has apparently has it all..- more gooder (sp?) “stuff’ than you. Remember Solomon’s story?- or have we forgotten already.. the sad state of Solomon, the “man who had it all..” The epitaph on his tombstone? “Vanity of vanities- all is vanity.” Empty, and vacuous- all junk. He was king of a great big pile of “nothing.”
We welcome you now to the village of the MugWomps. My neighbors on both sides are “the Jones’s.”- And I am trying hard to “keep up with them”- because they “apparently” – have “more” than I do.
Okay, then. – I’ll ask the hard question. Draw near and listen intently, for here it is. This is “it.”
More of what? – More “stuff and things?” If only I had this, then I (too) would be happy. Lol!- Let’s all play the “if only” game! It’s fun- and we all get to play!.. “If only” I were an exceedingly good-looking Swedish millionaire living on a private island, with an unlimited bank account. Oh, and I almost forgot, the wavy blonde hair.. (I’m “follicly challenged!”- and secretly don’t like anyone with more hair than me..) Asaph, – “if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride..” Dude, I want more too! I too, (just like you) admittedly have “champagne tastes and a beer budget..”
Yes. I (too) want “more..” I’ve seen your bumper sticker, Asaph! “Dear Santa, I want it all..” – Might as well “go for the gusto!”- Right?
“On your mark.. get set..” – stop. Asaph, are you wanting to serve the god of accumulation? Do you honestly believe accumulation is the answer? – More “stuff and things?” – I don’t know about you, Asaph, but I can’t even handle all that I’ve accumulated- right now. I have more than I know what to do with. Have my possessions- possessed me? I now need a bigger house so’s I can accumulate more, until I’ll need even a bigger barn, er.. house- to hold all of “my” goodies.
Oh, Asaph.. thank you for your testimony. I almost forgot and my feet also had “almost slipped!”- The miry clay of envy was workin’ it’s spell-binding magic on me too! But then Someone reminded me- I am not the “owner” of all these “things”- I am but a servant and a steward. Dude, – God owns this house and He owns me. All that I have and all that I am.. (yes, -right here- right now) it all belongs to Him. By “right” of Creation, and by “right” of Calvary. -He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood.
We have in our possession today, only a down-payment. Small, yet sufficient glimpses of glory and grace in the “here and now,” -the full revelation of the goodness of the LORD when we are able (in our new glorified bodies) as the Bride of Christ to receive it, is yet to be announced.
~ as we look not to the things that are seen (do we Asaph?)- but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal ~ Asaph, have we been out “sight-seeing,” or are we now, today- “faith-walking?”
And aren’t we Asaph, a blessed people to know, to perceive and to receive the words of our Messiah: ~And He said to them, (actually it was me, Asaph) “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12.15)
One last thing we need to know, Asaph.. (even though there is so “much more!”) – “godliness with contentment is great gain” ~ Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”
Oh, I do want more Asaph, only my “wanter” seems to have been redirected. I now “covet earnestly the best gifts..” The desires of my heart seem to have been resurrected, refurbished, and redirected. I have a brand new “want-to” and a life-song that seems somehow to never end. There are, Asaph, according the scriptures- “things that are more excellent,” all of them grace -gifts from the King of kings and LORD of lords.
This, is but a small portion of what I now want.. But here it is Asaph, for your consideration..
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.
More about Jesus; in His Word,
Holding communion with my LORD;
Hearing His voice in every line,
Making each faithful saying mine.
More about Jesus; on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace.
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
(Words: Eliza E. Hewitt, in Glad Hallelujahs, 1887)
~ Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD ~ (1 Chronicles 16:10)
Asaph, I’m so glad to hear and to know- this, your story has a happy ending. Be blessed my dear brother! We’ll see you there!- and then we shall sing together the song of Moses and of the Lamb, when with the ransomed in glory, His face we at last shall see, ’twill be our theme through the ages to sing of His love.. O, how marvelous! O, how wonderful!- and our song shall ever be!..
Once I longed to be an archaeologist, and then God captured my heart and He lets me discover priceless treasure, beautiful things from antiquity, –in perfect condition and working order for today–His Blessed Word!
It is indeed GLORY for me to learn more about my Savior and God.
It is my treasure. And I do want more and more. He guards it, I don’t need bigger barns to store it, sometimes I need new notebooks, but they take up little space and if anyone broke in they’d never think to take my treasure chest. If my notebooks burned in a fire, which all things will someday, there is a backup copy on my heart. I can and will take it with me when I go.
What is God’s glory?
Moses asked God to see His glory. This was God’s reply, “I will make all My pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you….” Ex. 33:19.
I want more of His goodness.
God told Moses to stand on a rock that was near Him. This symbolizes Jesus, our rock.
“Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory (goodness) passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Ex. 33:21 – 22. To stand upon the rock is symbolic of putting all your “weight” upon Him, Jesus.
Oops, correction:
, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you….” Ex. 33:19.
I don’t know how to work these tags. I tried to make the word “goodness” bold, but rather made it disappear!
Amen Asaph, I agree. All of this – and Heaven too!!! Who would have thought that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men?
“We are supposed to be doing the “right thing” (a good movie by Spike Lee)
Because it is the right thing to do (regardless of the consequences.)”
–this is an incredibly hard thing to do when you have kids and they also face those consequences, giving the appearance of evil winning in their minds.