The Two-layered Universe
and to death’s dust did You thrust me. Psalm 22:16
You – You and I don’t see very well. That’s why we need God’s perspective. God sees perfectly. The only problem is that God doesn’t usually tell us what to look at and when He does, it is often after He’s through working. Let’s take this famous psalm as an example of the two-layered universe. We operate on the first layer. All of our actions occur in a world that we can see. Our view extends from the horizon in the past to the horizon in the future. Of course, the horizon in the future is much closer than the one in the past, in spite of our illusions. We see much better in hindsight. The Chinese have useful reminder. “Prediction is very difficult, especially when it is about the future.” So, God knows. We don’t. That’s the bottom line.
What this means is that far too often what we perceive on our layer is not really the full picture. We see tragedy when God sees victory. We see heartache and disappointment when God sees how these actions fit into the grand scheme of His glory. We are event-myopic. Since we cannot see the second layer, we have to wait for God to tell us what He was doing when we were so confused and disappointed. If we were there when Yeshua announced this psalm from the cross, we most likely would have been just like His disciples (except for the women who understood much better than the men). We would have believed that the dream was over. Death won again. We might have run away. In spite of the fact that this is a victory psalm of vindication, we would see only destruction and ruin. But that’s because we see only the first layer. God simply asks us to trust that He sees both layers.
If you think about the stories of the Scriptures, from Noah to David, from Isaiah to Daniel, from Yeshua to John, the two-layer universe pervades every page. We don’t know what God is doing unless He tells us. Our speculation has little affect on the real picture of events, and for the most part, the real picture of events is hidden from us. Intentionally hidden, by the way. Why? Because trust is a verb! If we saw both layers, there would be no need to trust. All would be clear. But where there is no need to trust, there is no intimate relationship. There is only the mechanics of acting out the parts.
Did you notice that in this psalm, the speaker cries out that God has thrust him into death? This is no accident, no unforeseen political consequence, no human development. God is playing on the second layer and how He plays is entirely up to Him. Yes, of course, sinful men and women are involved in this plot. We see their hands at work. But they are not directing the events. Isaac, Jacob, Rahab, Hosea, Mary and a host of others were the surface of a much greater plan. Our task is to listen and obey, not to direct. Maybe we need to remember that the real story will not be known until we are gone from the stage. Now that you understand which layer you are in, how will that change your actions today?
Topical Index: two layers, sovereignty, Psalm 22:16
Some believe the Brit was written in Aramaic, translated into Greek and then later into English because many of the phrases in the Greek translation that would never have been spoken by a Greek, but if you translate them back into Aramaic, they make perfect sense. One of these is that statement Yeshua made from the cross. In Aramaic it would have included “for this purpose I came”. An interesting thought.
Which of the commonly translated from the cross does “for this purpose I came” track to?
“Why have you forsaken me?” He didn’t.
Oh. Here is a resource if you are interested in checking this out.
Peshitta Aramaic-English Interlinear New Testament
Yolanda, this is very interesting. I found the online version of the Aramaic-English Interlinear and looked at Matt. 27:46 and Mark 15:34. In both of those places our commonly translated phrase “Why have you forsaken me” is translated “why have you spared me.” I’m wondering if I missed the proper reference or am not getting it yet. Any help you can offer in pointing me in the right direction would be much appreciated.
If anyone else is interested here is the link to the online Interlinear:
http://www.peshitta.org/
If you can get your hands on an Aramaic English New Testament it would be very beneficial for this passage (p. 86) and many others. It is a Peshitta English Aramaic critical Edition, a compilation, annotation and translation of the Eastern Original Aramaic New Testament Peshitta Text. You will really enjoy it.
Very thought-provoking, Skip.
May I add a little side thought? In the mathematical sciences, when dealing with a two-layer (or multi-layer) medium, in order to match the “behavior” from one layer to the other, it is necessary to impose “boundary conditions” on the solution. to ensure (usually, but not always) a smooth transition from one to the other. Maybe this has spiritual overtones!
I clearly know what layer I am in and everyday the boundaries (Thanks John) become more and more evident. When I trespass beyond the boundaries I am always disappointed; not at Yeshua, but at my choices, behavior, and attitude.
I have a desire to know the future; and in and of itself this desire is not sinful. Desire is what separates me from the other wild beasts of the earth. What is sinful is my desire rising to trump Yeshua’s desire, and failing to grant him dejure authority is never beneficial. What is sinful yet is my desire to reduce YHWH’s point-of-view to a level I can grasp, comprehend, control, and manipulate for my purposes. Still, I am learning to trust him; learning to be content with what he brings to my hands. Although, I am tempted to look over my shoulder, it is far better for me to look straight ahead in the past; as a man “rowing backward into the future”. (Moen)
Since mathematics is really modeling of the universe – the reduction of reality to a system of symbols that can be manipulated more easily to reveal other aspects of the universe – then my guess is that good mathematics reveals something about the good and orderly behavior of God’s creation. Long way to say, Yes, there are spiritual overtones. By the way, the rabbis noticed this centuries ago when they studied the numerical values of the HEbrew aleph-bet.