Tag-Archive for » shema «

Empty Hand Faith

Sunday, January 06th, 2013 | Author:

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17  NASB

Hearing – When we first examined this verse (August 17, 2011), we noted that this is Paul’s shema.  Although written in Greek, Paul clearly has the Hebrew verb shama in mind.  And as we know, shama means both “to hear” and “to obey.”  In Paul’s thought, faith is the result of hearing/obeying and hearing/obeying is specifically hearing/obeying the word of the Messiah.  Of course, this leaves us with the question, “What is the word of the Messiah?” but the answer is not difficult to find.  “All that I have commanded you” coupled with Yeshua’s proclamation of the eternal value of Torah should point us to the same code of conduct that He followed.  We are left with the obvious conclusion that faith is doing what God says to do.  What could be simpler?

The problem comes with the conversion of the idea of faith as action to the idea of faith as proposition.  Converted to Greek thought, faith becomes the mental assent to the truth of gospel proclamations.  In other words, once faith was what I did in loyal obedience to my deliverer.  Now it is agreeing that the deliverer did it.

Part of this conversion from verb to noun is the confusion of faith and salvation.  We should have seen this coming.  After all, John uses the word “faith” or one of its derivatives 92 times in his gospel but he never uses it as a noun.  It is always a verb.  Our problem is not the text.  The text is pretty clear.  Our problem is that the Greek worldview rests on nouns – people, places and things.  And from a Greek perspective, salvation is a thing.  It is something granted to me.  It is mine.  Once received, I own it.  Salvation is the gate-pass out of here and as long as I have the gate-pass I am leaving.  In this view, salvation is the certificate that guarantees me a place in the afterlife.  It was purchased for me on Calvary and I can keep it safe until it is needed.

There’s only one problem.  If faith is a verb, then it exists only when the actions it describes are in process.  Since salvation is a result of faith, it is impossible to think of salvation as something that exists independently of behavior.  If I am not doing faith, then I don’t have salvation either.  Oswald Chambers offers a telling remark:  “All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into relationship with Him on the basis of his covenant.”[1]  I have to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, not because God hasn’t accomplished all that was needed for me to be saved but because salvation is found in the dynamic of my interaction with God.  If I choose to act as though I possess the certificate but nothing further is required, I choose to abandon the dynamic of the relationship, and that means the relationship stops and my certificate is nothing more than a worthless piece of paper.  In Hebrew thought, I have what I do.  Salvation exists in the acts of grace produced by God and by me.

Topical Index:  grace, hear, obey, shema, salvation, Romans 10:17

 

[1] Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, December 6th.

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , ,  | 9 Comments

Pillow Talk

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011 | Author:

and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.” Joshua 2:9  NASB

I know – How did Rahab know?  How did  she know that these men were from the tribe of Israel?  How did she know the story of the crossing of the Red Sea?  How did she know that YHWH, the God of Israel, had given them the land?  How could she know these things?  She was not a world traveler.  She was not a politician.  She was not a state official.  How could she know?

Scuttlebutt, that’s how.  Pillow talk.  Rumors.  Stories.  If Rahab entertained men (or even if they merely lodged at her inn), it is more than likely that she also listened to their tales.  And if the two men who are spies are masquerading as traveling “clients,” it wouldn’t be long before she could put the stories together and arrive at the conclusion she expresses.  Rahab’s occupation puts her in the ideal place to overhear confidences, evaluate reports and recognize impending danger.

Yada’ati – I know.  She is certain that these men are not tourists.  She is certain that their God is about to bring destruction.  Therefore, she acts out of self-interest.  “Keep me and my family alive.”  She takes risks in both directions.  First, she lies to her own city-king.  If she is caught, her life is probably over.  Secondly, she places her well-being in the hands of two strangers, strangers who really have no reason to rescue her.

But Rahab seems to know a bit more than the current political situation.  “I know that YHWH has given the land to you.”  Rahab knows YHWH?  How?  How could she know about this God of the Hebrews when no Hebrew had been in the land for centuries?  How could she know about the promise to Abraham?  Once more we encounter the inclusiveness of God.  YHWH doesn’t show Himself only to the sons of Jacob.  Just as Jethro, the Midianite priest, knew YHWH; just as Hagar, the Egyptian slave encountered YHWH, so now Rahab tells us that she knows YHWH.  The Tanakh is the record of God’s interactions with His people Israel, but there are indications that God is busy with others too.  God’s work in the world stretches forth among all men, even if Israel is the place where God reveals His specific plans and intentions.  Rahab knows YHWH.  That fact alone ought to leap off the page in surprise.  Maybe, just maybe, God is doing things among people who fall far outside our consideration of appropriate spiritual relations.

Rahab concludes with a statement with far-reaching consequences.  Yes, she has heard the rumors and the reports, but her decision is not based on sound bites from the nightly news.  She says, “YHWH your Elohim, He is Elohim of the heavens above and the earth below.”  This is a profession of monotheistic faith out of the mouth of a woman in a pagan and idolatrous culture.  Rahab might as well be standing with the congregation at Sinai and saying, “Shema, O Israel, YHWH Eloheynu, YHWH ehad.”  Before Rahab becomes part of the congregation, she is already expressing the faith of the congregation.  We just have to listen between the lines.

Perhaps this part of the story of Rahab teaches us something about those “outside” our borders.  Maybe we need to listen more intently to their expressions of desire and hope.  Maybe we need to be more sensitive to the fact that God doesn’t exclude any who seek Him no matter where they come from.  Perhaps the lesson here is that God is God – and all we are required to do is watch for His handiwork everywhere we happen to go – even in the house of Rahab of Jericho.

Topical Index:  know, yada’, Shema, Rahab, faith, Joshua 2:9

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , ,  | 8 Comments

Back To Deuteronomy

Wednesday, September 01st, 2010 | Author:

“I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” John 8:26

I Heard From Him – Read the verse again.  Then ask yourself, “How would I understand this verse if I were hearing it in Hebrew?”   Some things immediately change.  First, in Hebrew, to hear is to obey.  Remember shema.  So, when Yeshua says, “the things which I heard,” he also means “the things which I obeyed.”  To hear without obeying is to have ears that are deaf.  Yeshua is not talking about theological propositions or the mysteries of the cosmic beginnings.  He is talking about hearing and doing the will of the Father.  By the way, you and I can hear and do too.  We also participate in shema, if we choose to do so.

This implies that it is perfectly possible to hear and do the will of the Father.  It isn’t always necessary to wring our hands, cry out loud, fall to the floor and beg God to please tell me what He wants me to do.  He already told us.  Doing what we already know is a precursor to discovering what we do not know.  It would hardly have been possible for Yeshua to claim that He heard the Father if He were not obedient to all that the Father already revealed.  That would be like trying to survey a piece of property without bothering to take any mathematics courses.  First things first.  And first comes Deuteronomy.

Now notice something else Hebraic in this statement.  Shema is connected to dabar (to speak).  Hearing (obeying) and speaking go together in God’s world.  Yeshua makes the connection for us.  What is heard and obeyed becomes reality.  God’s word manifest in us is the same as obedience to Him – and that is the proclamation of His message to the world.

Do you want to be like Yeshua?  In this aspect of discipleship, you know just what to do.  You start by listening and doing.  You do what you are told to do.  Yes, I know that sounds so authoritarian, especially to citizens of a Greek-based individual rights, “free to do what I want” kind of world.  But submission comes from bending my desires to the service of another master.  So, you do what you’re told.  By the way, God only tells you to do things that you can do and that are in your best interests, so it’s a pretty good bargain.  By doing what we are told to do, we are able to speak to the world.  What we speak is life – the whole manifestation of who we are as obedient children of the Great Father.  What we manifest is His will in living reality.  We speak volumes, sometimes without a single word.  It was not necessary for Yeshua to proclaim His authority and His divinity.  His actions demonstrated both.  If we want to be what God has in mind for us, we will have to start where He started, with hearing from God.  Only after shema becomes our way of life will we be qualified to deliver God’s message to others.

Topical Index:  I heard from Him, kago ‘a eikousa par autou, shema, dabar, John 8:26

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , ,  | 4 Comments

The Shema (1)

Friday, June 25th, 2010 | Author:

Hear, Israel, YHWH is our God, YHWH is one. Deuteronomy 6:4

Hear – The Hebrew verb shama means both “to hear” and “to obey, respond.”  Moses does not call the people to listen to his words.  He calls the people to do what the words say.  In Hebrew, I do not hear unless I respond.  The same double sense of this word is applied to God when the Psalmist cries out for God to hear his plea.  Of course God hears, but it is of no value unless God responds.  To hear is to do something about it.  To hear is to act upon the words spoken.

Since Hebrew is a dynamic, active language, this is exactly what we would expect.  Torah study isn’t about recitation or regurgitation.  It’s about transformation.  If my life isn’t changing because of these words, then I haven’t learned anything.  I haven’t heard.  It is completely inadequate to store away information, even theological information, in my cognitive vault.  Action is the only measure of successful listening.

Only a moment’s reflection verifies that this is what we really want with our own words.  What is the point of speaking, speaking, speaking if no one acts upon our proclamation.  Do we really think our children are listening to us when their behavior ignores our admonitions?  Does our boss believe we have incorporated his direction if we don’t make any changes in our actions?  Do you think God is interested only in a checklist of correct information?  Of course not!  If we expect more than intellectual assent, don’t you think He does too?  The problem was never about hearing.  It was about responding.

This raises a more difficult issue.  Now that we know God expects us to act on His words, the next question is “What does He say?”  Heschel is absolutely right.  Belief is not about deriving divine principles or producing heavenly abstractions.  To believe (a verb) is to remember.  It is to remember what God did and what He demands.  If my life is determined by my response, I must know what God is asking of me.  The most important question in all of my life is this:  “What does God demand of me?”  If I can’t answer that question, I am not able to hear for hearing is the response required by the question.  That’s why the Shema is not Deuteronomy 6:4.  Deuteronomy 6:4 is the introduction to the demand.  It is the call to respond, but it is not the content of what I am to hear.  Shema yisrael, YHWH Eloheinu, YHWH ehad is not what I must do.  It is the framework that surrounds what I must do.  Deuteronomy 6:4 establishes the reason why I must hear and obey.  There is a God.  His name is YHWH.  He is the only God.  And the fact that He is God is the reason why I must respond to His demands.

It is useless to read His words without committing myself to do what they require.  It is worse than useless.  It is blasphemy, disobedience and sin.  It is pointless to call myself a follower and ignore the behavioral changes He demands.  It is worse than pointless.  It is self-defeating.  So, begin with the invitation to His demands, but do not stop there.  Don’t open the envelope and leave the letter inside.  It’s time to take up what follows.

Topical Index:  Shema, hear, obey, respond, Deuteronomy 6:4

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , ,  | 13 Comments

The Shema

Tuesday, November 03rd, 2009 | Author:

If you do not know the Shema in Hebrew, and you want to learn it, you can start here.

The Shema is central to faith in the God of Israel. It is commanded in Deuteronomy 4:6 and recited three times a day by the faithful. In this version, the cantor offers a melodic rendition. The Shema is the call to Israel and all who follow God to hear (the first meaning of shema) and to obey (the second meaning of shema). It is a daily reminder of our dependence and obligation. If you want to learn it, you may want to download the file to your computer.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(Or click here to download the audio file.)

Category: Articles  | Tags:  | 3 Comments

Pregunta Respondida

Tuesday, September 01st, 2009 | Author:

Aunque yo doy testimonio de mí mismo, mi testimonio es verdadero, porque yo sé de dónde he venido y adónde voy; pero vosotros no sabéis de dónde vengo ni adónde voy.

Juan 8:14


Doy Testimonio – ¿Por qué les incomodaba tanto las enseñanzas de Yeshua a los fariseos? Sentían desconcierto porque no encajaba el protocolo apropiado. En el judaísmo rabínico, el verdadero maestro debía poseer una línea larga de predecesores. El maestro citaba estos hombres, quizás al ofrecer comentario, pero raramente ofrecía enseñanzas nuevas. La verdad se transmitía de rabino a rabino. Solo los profetas arribaban a la escena sin linaje, y los fariseos no tenían intención de otorgarle rango de profeta a Yeshua. Así que el tema constante del evangelio según Juan es el tema del testimonio. Juan busca demostrar que Yeshua es el Mesías. Es evidente que el testimonio es crucial a este esfuerzo. Pero si leemos este intercambio en particular en el hebreo, algo más surge a la superficie.

Si fuésemos hebreos, sabríamos que las dos letras en Deuteronomio 6:4 en el rollo de la Tora son inusuales. “Shema, Yisrael, YHWH Elohaynu, YHWH ehad” está escrito con una Ayin más grande en Shema y una Dalet mas grande en ehad. ¿Por qué? Porque la combinación de estas dos letras es la palabra “testigo” (´ed). Esta palabra se refiere a quién será un testigo fidedigno. Cada vez que los judíos recitan el Shema, proclaman el testimonio verdadero al Señor. Cuando Yeshua habla de Sí mismo como testigo, llama atención a la proclamación del Único Dios verdadero. Pero en cuento quién declara la Shema da testimonio de Dios, Yeshua sugiere que el da testimonio de a sí mismo. Las implicaciones debieron ser sorprendentes. Al filo de la blasfemia.

Por si eso fuera poco, Yeshua añade dos respuestas a su declaración. Las respuestas implican dos preguntas: ¿De dónde vienes y para dónde vas? ¿Sientes familiaridad con esas preguntas? Deberías. Las encontrarás en Génesis 16:8. Son las dos preguntas que le hace el ángel del Señor a Hagar. Lo que  Yeshua implica con estas dos preguntas sin contestar es simplemente: El es quién pregunta puesto que es quién conoce las respuestas. De hecho, El es el único que realmente conoce las respuestas. No existe humano vivo capaz de dar respuesta verdadera a ambas preguntas. Podemos saber de dónde venimos pero ni uno de nosotros realmente sabe dónde vamos. El único que conoce esa respuesta es Dios.

Este intercambio confrontativo entre Yeshua y los fariseos esconde más de lo que revela. Enterrada en las implicaciones yace una declaración sobre el verdadero testimonio de la Shema, acerca del verdadero inquisidor de Hagar y el único que realmente conoce los propósitos de la vida. Pero debes leerlo con ojos hebreos para escuchar lo que dice.

¿No te hace preguntarte cuanto más yace bajo la superficie de los Evangelios?

Testigo, Shema, Hagar, ´ed, Juan 8:14

Category: La Palabra de Hoy  | Tags: , , , ,  | Comments off

The Questions Answered

Tuesday, September 01st, 2009 | Author:

“Even if I bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I go.” John 8:14

Bear Witness – Why were the Pharisees so distraught about Yeshua’s teaching? They were distressed because He did not fit the proper protocol. In rabbinic Judaism, a true teacher had to have a long lineage of predecessors. The teacher would quote these men, perhaps offering commentary, but rarely offering new teaching. The truth was passed down from rabbi to rabbi. Only prophets arrived on the scene without a lineage, and the Pharisees were not about to convey the status of prophet on Yeshua. So, the constant theme of the gospel of John is the subject of witness. John seeks to demonstrate that Yeshua is the Messiah. It’s obvious that the testimony and the witnesses are crucial to his effort. But if we read this particular exchange in Hebrew, something else comes to the surface.

If we were Hebrews, we would know that two letters in Deuteronomy 6:4 in the Torah scroll are unusual. “Shema, Yisrael, YHWH eloheinu, YHWH ehad” is written with an enlarged Ayin in Shema and an enlarged Daleth in ehad. Why? Because the combination of these two letters is the word “witness” (‘ed). This word refers to someone who will be a true witness. Every time a Jew says the Shema, he proclaims a true witness to the Lord. When Yeshua speaks of himself as a witness, he draws attention to the proclamation of the one true God. But while the speaker of the Shema bears witness to God, Yeshua suggests that he bears witness to himself. The implications must have been startling. They verged on blasphemy.

If that weren’t enough, Yeshua follows his declaration with two answers. The answers imply two questions: Where have you come from and where are you going? Do those questions sound familiar? They should. You will find them in Genesis 16:8. They are the two questions asked by the angel of the Lord to the slave Hagar. What Yeshua implies by his answer to these two unasked questions is simply: He is the one who asks because He is the one who knows the answers. In fact, He is the only one who truly knows the answers. There is no human being alive who can give a truthful answer to both questions. We might know where we have come from but not a single one of us truly knows where we are going. The only one who knows the true answer to the second question is God.

This confrontational exchange between Yeshua and the Pharisees hides much more than it reveals. Buried in the implications is a statement about the true witness of the Shema, the true questioner of Hagar and the only one who truly knows life’s purposes. But you have to read it with Hebrew eyes to hear what it says.

Doesn’t that make you wonder what else is under the surface of the gospels?

Topical Index: witness, Shema, Hagar, ‘ed, John 8:14

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , ,  | 6 Comments

Speak Easy

Monday, August 10th, 2009 | Author:

The LORD also spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the sons of Israel Numbers 15:37-38

Spoke – Speak – What you don’t see can hurt you. And what you don’t see are two different Hebrew verbs translated by one English verb. God speaks (‘amar) to Moses but He tells Moses to speak (dibber) to the people. What’s the difference and why does it matter?

The first difference is simply a grammatical one. ‘amar is used to introduce a following direct quotation. So, in this case, the verb ‘amar introduces the speech of God that follows. Dibber denotes the acts of speaking or what is spoken. ‘amar tells us a quotation is about to follow. ‘amar tells us the words that follow are God’s words, not the words of Moses.

Secondly, dibber seems to cover the whole of a conversation. It is comprehensive. It’s about the conversation from beginning to end. Perhaps the most important element here is this: in ancient near-eastern cultures, the process of naming (the use of dibber) was a creative act that brought something into being. This is also true in the Bible. God’s very word causes creation to come into being. God’s word has a power beyond merely a symbolic representation of something.

Thirdly, ‘amar is event language. Its etymological background comes from the idea of making something visible. In fact, it seems to originally have been connected with the idea of seeing. Thus, ‘amar can be used in all of the following senses: announce, declare, promise, refuse, predict, repeat, inform, mention, assure, answer, praise, command, think, consider, discuss and explain. This Hebrew verb has a very wide application. ‘amar is distinctive because it is always about a personal relationship. Even when ‘amar is used with inanimate things, the speaker always has some personal relationship with the objects. In this regard, there is no distinction between the sacred use of ‘amar and the secular use of the verb. ‘amar is about a complex cluster of personal revelation activities that create relationship between the speaker and the object.

Now let’s apply these distinctions to Numbers 15:37-38. God speaks to Moses. Immediately the verb tells us there is a personal relationship involved in this disclosure to Moses. Furthermore, the verb tells us what comes next is precisely what God said to Moses. dibber tells us the words we read are the full conversation that must be conveyed to the sons of Israel. There is power in these words of God. They are not arbitrary. They have precise and intentional meaning. They are pregnant with divinity.

Why is all of this so crucial? Because Numbers 15:37-38 are the last part of the Shema, repeated three times every day. These two verbs set the stage for God’s final instructions to His people. They are just what He said and just what He meant. They are the revelation of who He is in relationship with us.

I guess we better listen. Right?

So, if this is so important, why don’t we know that Numbers 15:37-41 is supposed to be a daily reminder of God’s will for our lives?

Topical Index: Shema, ‘amar, dibber, speak, Numbers 15:37-38

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , ,  | 16 Comments

El Primer Shema

Sunday, June 14th, 2009 | Author:

14 de junio Y él respondió: “Te oí en el huerto, tuve miedo porque estaba desnudo, y me escondí.” Génesis 3:10


Oí – “Oye, O Israel” es el centro de la fe. Todos los días Israel  recibe el llamado a oír y obedecer. La palabra shema significa las dos cosas – escuchar y obedecer.  Pero la primera vez que se usa en las Escrituras, no tiene nada que ver con escuchar y obedecer. Tiene que ver con temor. Cuando Adán dice, “escuché tu voz,” no proclama la soberanía del Señor. No declara lealtad a la Palabra de Dios. Corre atemorizado.

La Escritura describe certeramente la naturaleza dual de nuestra realidad. Podemos convertir casi toda realidad en una declaración de la bondad de Dios o en una declaración de nuestra depravación. El resultado del pecado siempre es el de desviar la acción del orden de Dios hacia nuestra desobediencia. Cuando lo piensas un poco, las instrucciones de Dios proveen una existencia ordenada – una armonía entre todos los elementos creados en el mundo- que tiene como resultado el bienestar para todos (shalom). Pero el pecado irrumpe el orden. La palabra hebrea hata (perder el blanco) consiste en las consonantes Chet-Teth-Aleph.   El pictógrafo de estas consonantes es “una valla que rodea fuerza.” En otras palabras, el pecado pone límites alrededor de la fuerza. Te previene de participar en las fortalezas de la vida. Te mantiene afuera. Puedes ver la relación a otras palabras hebreas que describen el comportamiento pecaminoso. Ta´ah (desviarse) es la imagen de rodear el ojo para que no puedas ver. Asham (pecado o culpa) es la imagen de lo que destruye la esencia de la persona. Es la reintroducción al caos. Cuando no escuchamos y obedecemos, todas esas imágenes irrumpen en nuestras vidas.

Adán escucho cuando Dios dio el mandamiento. Escuchó pero no obedeció. Como zakar, el fue creado para recordar. El único requisito de su relación era el de recordar lo que Dios había dicho y vivir según esas palabras. Dios le dijo a Adán todo lo que necesitaba saber para mantener una relación perfecta con EL. Pero Adán oyó a la serpiente desnuda. Erguido a la par de su ´ezer, participó en la rebelión. No dijo nada. Su silencio provocó la Caída tanto como la conversación de Eva. Adán oyó  y obedeció la voz de la serpiente en vez de la voz de Dios. Adán es el primero en quién se manifiesta  observación que lo único necesario para el triunfo del mal es que  hombres buenos no hagan nada.

Desafortunadamente, esta se convierte en la conducta acostumbrada de Adán. Esta no es la única vez en que su silencio provoca desastres generacionales, como veremos. Pero este es un recordatorio crítico para nosotros. El silencio no es dorado. Es carente de Dios. Cuando nos vemos enfrentados con la tentación de no recordar quién es Dios, quién somos nosotros y la diferencia entre nosotros, debemos hablar. Debemos oír y obedecer. Debemos objetar las serpientes quienes sugieren que nuestros propios sentimientos son el árbitro final de la conducta moral. Debemos responder como respondió el segundo Adán: “Escrito está.”

Category: La Palabra de Hoy  | Tags: , , , , , , ,  | Comments off

The First Shema

Sunday, June 14th, 2009 | Author:

and he said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”  Genesis 3:10

Heard – “Sh’ma, O Israel” is the center of the faith.  Every day Israel is called to listen and obey.  The word shema means both – listen and obey.  But the first time it is used in Scripture, it isn’t about listening or obeying.  It’s about fear.  When Adam says, “I heard your voice,” he isn’t proclaiming the sovereignty of the Lord.  He isn’t declaring his loyalty to God’s Word.  He is running scared.

Scripture accurately describes the dual nature of our reality.  We can turn nearly any action into a declaration of God’s goodness or a statement of our depravity.  The result of sin is always to shift the action from God’s order toward disorder.  When you think about it, God’s instructions provide an orderly existence – a harmony between all the created elements of the world – that results in well-being for everyone (shalom).  But sin disrupts that order.  The Hebrew word hata (miss the mark) consists of the consonants Cheth-Teth-Aleph.  The pictograph of these consonants is “a fence that surrounds strength.”  In other words, sin puts a fence around strength.  It prevents you from participating in the strength of life.  It keeps you on the outside.  We can see the relationship to other Hebrew words that describe sinful behavior.  ta’ah (to go astray) is the picture of surrounding the eye so that you cannot see.  asham (sin or guilt) is the picture of what destroys the essence of a person.  It is the reintroduction of chaos.  When we don’t listen and obey, all these other images erupt in our lives.

Adam heard God give the command.  He listened but he did not obey.  As zakar, he was created to remember.  His only relationship requirement was to remember what God said and live according to God’s words.  God told Adam everything that he needed to know in order to maintain a perfect relationship with Him.  But Adam listened to the naked snake.  Standing next to his ‘ezer, he participated in the rebellion.  He said nothing.  His silence brought about the Fall just as much as Eve’s conversation.  Adam listened and obeyed the voice of the snake instead of the voice of God.  Adam is the first occurrence of the observation that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. 

Unfortunately, this becomes Adam’s default behavior.  This isn’t the only time when his silence causes generational disaster, as we shall see.  But it is a critical reminder to us.  Silence is not golden.  It’s godless.  When we are faced with the temptation to not remember who God is, who we are and the difference between us, we must speak up.  We must listen and obey.  We must object to the serpents who suggest that our own feelings are the final arbiter of moral behavior.  We must respond as the second Adam responded – “It is written.”

Topical Index:  shema, hata, ta’ah, asham, listen, obey, heard, Genesis 3:10

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , , , ,  | 2 Comments