True Religion (2)
“but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:24 NASB
Understands – sakal not bin. That’s the first thing we need to know about the Hebrew word behind this translation. Unfortunately, English renders both words with the same expression, “understand.” But there are differences.
“While bîn indicates ‘distinguishing between,’ śākal relates to an intelligent knowledge of the reason. There is the process of thinking through a complex arrangement of thoughts resulting in a wise dealing and use of good practical common sense. Another end result is the emphasis upon being successful.”[1]
Did that little paragraph indict you? Are you a member of the “fit bodies-fat minds” club so common in evangelical circles? Let me put it another way. Understanding God (haskel) is hard work. It requires serious thought and complex examination. Don’t tell me that the Bible is for the simple-minded. It is not! The basic message, “Love God and serve Him,” is pretty simple but how this all works and what it all means is very complex. If you thought that all you need is love, you should join the “fat minds” club in your local church. Just unquestioningly accept whatever is preached. Just follow the traditions. Just believe that God loves sincerity, even if it is uncomprehending. And, good luck!
YHVH tells us through His prophet Jeremiah that we are to praise (boast) in sakal, and sakal requires serious attention to the details, careful examination of the passages, total commitment to the insights and an unyielding commitment to reason and comprehension. If your faith isn’t grappling with real issues, then it’s probably too naïve to be worth sharing.
Hebraic circles stress the active part of faith in God. Loving Him means doing what He does. This is true, very true, and something that needs to be emphasized again and again in a religious culture that has been taught that legal status is all that’s required for entry into heaven. We must set that heresy aside. We must actively demonstrate that our lives conform to the truth of God’s revelation in Torah. But there is another side to this equation. Serious mental work is a concomitant of obedience. If you aren’t thinking, you aren’t believing.
For centuries Christianity has limited serious thinking to the professionals. It has basically kept ordinary worshippers in the dark. It has refused to share serious conflicts, theological difficulties and exegetical conundrums with the laity. Why? Because in general Christianity is committed to providing answers rather than encouraging questions. The usual approach in Christian circles is to teach doctrine, a set of answers to theological puzzles, rather than methods, the processes of coming to grips with the words of God. This has produced an amazingly ignorant audience. Many Christians don’t even know what the Bible says. They only know what the priest or preacher tells them the Bible says. And heaven forbid if anyone should ever stand up in the assembly and say, “Ah, pastor, I don’t think your exegesis of that passage actually exhibits an understanding of the Greek text (or the Hebrew). In my study, I’ve found that this word really means . . .” My guess is that rather than encouraging dialogue, you would be summarily escorted to the door.
Heschel said, “To believe is to remember.” Jeremiah said, “To believe is to think.”
Topical Index: sakal, understanding, bin, Jeremiah 9:24
[1] Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. 1999 (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (877). Chicago: Moody Press.
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“If your faith isn”t grappling with real issues, then it is probably too naive to be worth sharing.” Too true for words!
I THOUGHT I knew what I believed, until I got slung out into the cold. Outside the cocoon of religiosity, looking back, and needing DESPERATELY for it to be true, my belief system got severely shaken. I got challenged by hostile and cynical people on why I was still trying to do things in what they thought were insane ways. It is hard to apply even basic beliefs, I found, when you are being roiled in a flooding muddy current and cannot tell for the life of you which way is up and which way is down. So many times I did the ‘right’ things for all the wrong reasons! So many times I tried to do the wrong things for all the ‘right’ reasons! I tried it all! I realized at some point that I wasn’t even trying to convince others of what I held to be true; I was trying to convince myself!
Finally, so far from shore that I had forgotten where it was, I realized that I was in the position of being on the outside, looking in. I was cold, needing to be hot. I was faith-bereft, so desperately in need of trust I had forgotten even the basic mechanics of trust. I was literally dying, in need of pure mercy. I had no ‘attributes’ of my faith left, except that I had not renounced it. That was all I had.
Then, from that place, I cried. I was the one who needed convincing. I was the one in need of saving, comforting. I was the one who needed to see how faith worked IN THAT PLACE. I was the one with nothing. I didn’t need ‘help’ in loving others; I needed some myself!
And, from that place, I realized something else. I realized that the only way that salvation actually works IS FROM THAT PLACE. It takes a lot to completely break down a human being. The yetzer ha-ra is tough and strong. In my case – trying with all my might to figure out how love worked in the places of sheer disaster, knowing that only love was true – it took EVEN LONGER! As methodical as I am, I bet I tried the wrong way to love in every imaginable way the devil had to give me! I got to enjoy defeat from every possible angle, I believe! I got to the place where I was out of ways. And, in that place, the Still Small Voice said “Do you still believe? Here?” I said “good question!”.
But now, after so long in the trenches, I think I have something I didn’t have before, and that is that I have had to look at my faith through the eyes of a lot of lost, desperate, hostile and needy people, so many of whom I loved; so many of whom I lost. Now, I not only need to know for myself, I need to know for them, too! I still need to answer them. And when I ask those questions, I am asking for them, too. The ones who cannot ask for themselves. Now, there are a lot of us who want to know! And, further, it had better be able to work IN THOSE PLACES. You know, those dark places; hard places. It can’t just look good; it had better be able to get up and walk around on its own legs!
Thank you, Skip, for being faithful to provide a place where people are not trying to hide from God in a pew seat, figuring He would never think to look for them there. Thank you for providing a place where the questions get asked, and true meanings, that actually can be used in real life, can get fleshed out. Thank you for not already knowing, and letting those of us who are still having to work it out from that not-knowing place, come, and ask. When I ask, these days, I am finding that I usually get answered! Perhaps it is because I am learning the right way to ask! I have been trying to quit the awful habit of accusing God in the guise of a loaded question. Catch-22’s are off the table! Now, I am trying to learn the humility of asking from within my true needs, and hopefully I am also learning to go to Him and ask for the right questions, too! Halleluah!
Wow, thank you! And Amen!
I am in the midst of the struggle to know what I thought I knew. Some (all) journey require me to put one foot in front of the other each day. And trust that God will, in his time and way, make plain these things to me.
I love reading your comments. It’s like reading tie heart’s cry. Thank you for being so open.
I think the biggest change that I’ve seen in myself since learning Torah is 2 things: 1) It’s okay to ask questions, in fact it’s a good thing because usually some pretty deep profound answer is going to come out of it2) Being comfortable enough to say, “I don’t know that; but I’ll do my best to find out (for you or myself).” and it doesn’t mean my faith is going to fall apart. Also giving some half baked answer to everything even things I really don’t know isn’t going to do anyone any good. If anything it just minimizes the question. Tons of Rabbi’s even today if you ask questions at “Ask Moses” will say stuff like, “Let me get back to you” and on the recipient side it actually feels pretty good.
I enjoy listening to Rabbi’s speak in lectures (as well as you Skip), and there is a common thread the lectures. The lecture is to encourage a dialog, learn something applicable but if you don’t agree as a listener it doesn’t mean much other then maybe you found another way to get to ‘finish line’ and it’s worth sharing. In fact you I would go as far to say you don’t know your beliefs until they are challenged. Often times as a Christian we think challenging comes with snaring teeth but a lot of times it’s a genuine question which may result in #2 listed above and that’s fine! Just remind yourself, “Even if we disagree, I would still break bread with you on Shabbat anytime!”. It’s something to take away from 1st Century believers. Some believed Yeshua was Messiah other Jews didn’t. They both sang and had Shabbat together because well, the fundamentals are the same/close enough.
Well said, Derek. We don’t know our beliefs until we are challenged! And yes, it is so true that too often in traditional church settings, people take offense (and put up a “fence”) so that you can no longer be iron sharpening iron. How short-sighted is that, when we should respond with digging deeper into the Word! That’s one of the things I think Skip is encouraging in this community, that we can question each other, without animus, for the sole purpose of getting back to the original intent. We won’t always agree with each other, but if we dig, and think about what is being said, we will all grow in new understanding.
Skips page is the first place that I’ve gone to that you can have differences and you don’t feel like people have beef with you. Have a disagreement, it’s fine – I’m secure in my beliefs and if it’s a good point that I haven’t thought of before I’ll look into it. And I think that’s how most people feel here. If someone brings up a good point and by chance that means they poke holes in yours, great! God wins at the end, more truth has been revealed meaning you have the potential for a better understanding. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when we set our ego aside and just try to seek truth. That’s what I like about this blog, pretty cool cyber microcosm of Israel.
Hi Derek, Somehow, I’ve missed this one. Yes, we can disagree, as we are not man-made bricks, but Living Stones, each individual has a role/function. Thus unity is not conformity. It is exciting, but mankind has made it complicated.
Shalom!
I like that, “unity is not conformity” so true, yet so difficult. It’s honestly the one thing I’m still trying to wrap my head around. I guess it comes down to is holding hands on what we agree with and not back biting on the things we see differently.
YES! I agree to this wholeheartedly!
Skip,
This was really helpful for me today. I’ve been discussing / debating with a friend recently and all they do is regurgitate the doctrines. Fat minds don’t dig. The issue is they believe they are thinking yet I’d wager you can only think when you are willing to challenge your perceptions. There is now very few theological items I am a firm in.
1. That God exists as YHVH and he has a son and a spirit.
2. That YHVH revealed his will to us as asks us to obey.
This keeps the doctrine simple and alows me to test everything.
I also have an ever growing bucket of “it doesn’t matter” topics that are interesting but in the end aren’t going to make or break anything. (The Hebraic movement needs to do this better)
Thanks,
Mike
“I also have an ever growing bucket of “it doesn’t matter” topics that are interesting but in the end aren’t going to make or break anything. (The Hebraic movement needs to do this better)” , I had to start doing this one this year. A TON of things I was learning or searching for would be nuggets of info that sound really cool but at the end I would ask myself, “So what if you are right?” which would normally end with something like, “well it’s pretty cool”. Spiritual application of things has been my focus this Torah cycle, humility, and teshuva. Not to say that nuggets are worthless because everything in the Bible is for our benefit and not all things have a spiritual application behind it, but, I think it’s different when you read for the stuff to, ‘wow’ people with (which is what I was doing before) rather then searching for the spiritual application to incorporate into your life. The result: I’m far less impressed with head knowledge when someone shares something, I look at the fruit and that’s what I get envious of – they don’t always go hand in hand unfortunately. So now, I search as best as I can, and what is revealed on a spiritual application side I do it the best I can because I figure He has revealed that much to me for a reason.
“The result: I’m far less impressed with head knowledge when someone shares something, I look at the fruit and that’s what I get envious of – they don’t always go hand in hand unfortunately” Absolutely my thoughts too, Derek. And that is Scriptural, no fruit means- “I do not know you”, no matter how much we claim to know.
Love what you expressed above. Shalom!
I will be addressing this topic again very soon. Lots to say about loving each other in our disagreements.
Those are pretty much my thoughts these days, Michael. And like you, I have a ‘So what?’ bin also!
Also the other odd thing, you hear a lot in Judaism with the focus of ‘hesed starting at home’ as well as shalom bayit which I really hope Christian circles pick up on or Hebrew roots people could focus on that. It’s the first year I even heard about it so it’s not like I’m a guru. But just the different ‘roles’ for a man and woman, once you start learning that – life changing for sure and the plus is you can practice that one every day (talk about some frequent Kingdom building).
Amein, Derek.
Knowledge = life changing/transformation, to love justice, to do what’s pleasing to HIM, and to walk in humility, I don’t/can’t see it any other way to ABBA’s heart, though we are in the process of growing, learning and unlearning.
Shalom!
Skip, you write, “…a religious culture that has been taught that legal status is all that’s required for entry into heaven…”
What would you add as required?
Obedience I’m pretty sure. This is opinion, I think Christians have a goal oriented mindset of, “How to get to Heaven” verses doing Torah for Torah sake. A generalization could be Christians have this cognitive belief that you have to cognitively agree that Yeshua is the Messiah therefore you get a magical ‘get out of jail free car’d where otherwise if you did the same exact thing just didn’t say, “Jesus Christ is the Messiah” out loud, welcome outer darkness. How does your life look different when it’s cognitive? It doesn’t, I can sit here and say, “Jesus Christ is the Messiah” and it translates to nothing if it stays cognitive. Switch over to Hebrew mindset, “believing truth” is “to do truth” (this is the action that Skip is talking about). So to “believe” is to do what Yeshua did ie live Torah; all goes back to obedience. But at the end of it all, I think people can be WAY to focused on what is to come rather then what is here at the now.
My understanding is that Hebrew mindset is, ‘do because you are told by the Most High God”. Greek mindset, “ask what is in it for me, then I’ll think about and then I’ll get back to you if it works for me or not…”. Notice the focus on, “me” or “self”. We do things because we’re told, and we love Him, not because I’m expecting a reward. We’re servants trying to connect with God the best way that we know how which is just by doing His instructions. My impression is, the reason why we are here is that He wants to have a relationship with us -that’s it (flattering right?). He could restore the world with out us, He’s the Almighty He doesn’t need anything. He wants obedience, and a relationship. To form that relationship in turn you will be building His kingdom (doing mitzvots) by connecting to Him. Our Kingdom status, that’s up to Him but I’m confident that it’s not going to be based off a cognitive fact that He revealed or didn’t reveal to you. And the focus should be forming a relationship with Him.
If you think that you are Israel, or got grafted in, then that means that we are His first born. The first born sets the example transcribing the values (Instructions aka Torah) of the parents (God) in order for the other children (all the other nations and religions) to see. The parents (God) still loves the other children just the same, but the expectations and responsibility will be on the first born (Israel aka us) to do it right.
All my opinion, I know the question was based to Skip though.
I don’t want to claim to speak for Skip, but torah doesn’t have one word about the world to come, the olam haba, much less include a treatise on heaven and hell, most of which derives from either pagan thought, Milton, Dante and other Christian theologians. There is only a hint, in the formula of stating, “X was gathered to his fathers. X was buried.” So, being gathered to one’s fathers is not synonymous with burial. Christianity seems to be about how to get into heaven; Judaism is about living as a child of the world to come now. I suspect things are far different than we have been taught, and God has mercy even toward those who think wrong or perceived wrong doctrine is condemning their friends to Hell, while their own false doctrine is forgiven and covered by grace.
Absolutely true. But Yeshua makes comments about heaven and hell, and so do the rabbis and the apostolic authors, so sometime between the end of the prophets in the Tanakh and the beginning of the first century, several eschatological ideas made their way into Jewish thinking. The result was that audiences were not surprised by discussions of heaven and hell. Since it was part of Yeshua’s thought, we can’t simply dismiss it. But it does raise an interesting question: Where did these ideas come from?
The Hebrew view of God’s requirement of Man is to live according to Torah. It is, however, NOT a requirement for God to shed His grace on Man. It is a requirement for participating in the Kingdom AFTER the experience of grace and the acceptance of the invitation. If my religion teaches or suggests that nothing more is required of me than to accept God’s grace, then I will be ill-prepared for living as salt and light. I might still attempt to do so but I will be making up my own rules as I go along. Since Christianity adopted Platonic ideals, it focuses on entry into heaven rather than participating in the kingdom on earth. In doing so, it offers no specific instructions about what God demands of me here and now. But Torah does demand, and there is no way to get around that except to deny the applicability of Torah.
Daniel, it’s about relationship. You can be “legally” married to your wife, complete with marriage ceremony and license, but you won’t really know her unless you cherish her and allow her to become an intimate part of your moment to moment daily life. What kind of marriage would you have if after the ceremony you went back to living as you did before? Scripture uses marriage as a teaching analogy, but in order to understand accurately we must know the differences between Hebraic and Westernized wedding customs. Matt. 7:21-23, and the parable of the 10 virgins, are sober warnings that coming to faith in Yeshua must be more than the shallow “ABC, Accept, Believe Confess, “Viola, you’re saved!” salvation recipe that is too often preached. We must be in real, reciprocated, relationship with Yeshua, or we risk hearing, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
Skip once said, “Lighten up, people!” While keeping the serious note of this conversation, may I add a bit of humor? When I was growing up (I am 73), anybody in our large family needing a little spending money had only to ask Dad for it. I was well into my 20s before I learned where Dad kept the cash on hand in our house. In the family Bible! Why? Dad said, “Because no one ever looks in there.”
Let’s keep looking, everybody.
LOL, Thomas, you have let the cat out of the bag!
Just came across this article-thought you all might find it of interest…in the end…it’s what it’s all about – no matter who you are or what you’ve done http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/25842/Default.aspx
Ever since Skip posted that comment from Aquinas about “Everything is straw” I have been asking the Father what that really means. I’ve heard similar things before from other Saints near death, and there must be something mind altering to it. Is it possible that in the end the Kingdom of God is the Love and Life of God flowing with no restrictions through us and into the world? Is doctrine really as important as a Living intimate relationship with our Father who will spare no time or expense to “get our heads right”? Is this type of relationship remotely possible without first recognizing that this is completely beyond our ability and can only be worked in us by a sovereign God as we are broken and fitted?
Why is it that people that have had these Aquinas type experiences almost stop studying and even working, and receive a new intimacy with God and His children? is it because while study and works are a good and necessary thing, that the perfect thing is receiving the very Life and nature of God? When we finally receive this Life, does it change our theology to a point that we see our Father iS everything and simply allow Him to teach us what He would have us know through the written word, through others, through creation, and most of all through childlike dependence and intimacy with Him?
I have learned more from simple intimate with my Father than all the 40+ years of study and works I have done. My life is changed and more importantly, my Love and knowledge of God are becoming one. I don’t know how this is happening, but I know I am not scared and I have a new ability to live the Christian life that I never had before. I have a fast growing ability to love my Father with all my heart, mind, should and strength. And the amazing thing is I am increasingly able to love my brothers and sisters enough to die for them regardless of how I am treated by them. None of this was possible despite growing up in denominations that stressed the power of the Holy Spirit and the Gifts.
Father please continue to draw your children with love, discipline, and revelation until we see you as you really are.
Beautifully said, Marty. I have been in the “undoing” and “unlearning” place for a while, and it’s been a time of intense study and reading and consuming as much as I can get my hands on to shift my paradigm and rearrange everything in my head. I think God knows I’m a cerebral person and I need a measure of that in order to confidently act. But I am coming into a season where I feel like God is telling me to place less emphasis on filling my head with knowledge and more emphasis on learning to just quietly be in His presence, and do the things I have been learning about for the past year, without obsessing that I might not do it perfectly. I think it is likely a season, and there will again be a season where my knowledge and cognitive understanding is accelerated and intensified. But I’m enjoying the change of seasons, so to speak. 🙂
Me too
I agree, Alicia. I’m right in that boat as well. Thanks for putting words to my thoughts.
Amein, Alicia.
We need time to chew, digest, and process, the right knowledge too from digging into the Word to learn what is of YHWH. The seasons of change is challenging.
Shalom.
Today’s Word
Skip Moen – verb…whistleblower…a person who informs on someone or some institutional organization engaged in an illicit, questionable or deceptive activity.
Skip you have been a daily kairos moment in our lives and the lives of our small assembly.
Shalom…Tom and Marilyn Walter
On point, Tom. Made me chuckle! Thank YHWH for whistleblowers to help the rest of us.