Dental Work
And He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to the nations, the rebelling ones who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this day.” Ezekiel 2:3
Transgressed – What is the picture of transgression? Do you see a picture of someone violating a rule? Do you think of someone committing an immoral act? Do you think of a debtor? If you looked at the Hebrew word here, you might discover a different image than we usually consider. The Hebrew root is pasha’. It is a word that is often translated “to rebel, to revolt or to sin.” The pictograph demonstrates what the word reveals. The picture is a mouth full of teeth. Anger! Defiance! Teeth set on edge! Rebellion! What does it mean to transgress? It means to set your teeth against God. It means to have a face of active resistance.
In Hebrew, most description of attitudes are revealed in bodily images. The face, the hands, the feet, the head all play crucial roles in revealing the inner attitudes and feelings of men. Since Hebrew pays close attention to observable reality, it reads the character of a man from his expressions and actions. Rebellion against God is seen in the face. So are all the other conditions of spiritual/physical life.
Today is a good day for a serious dental exam. But this exam doesn’t require you to make an appointment at the clinic. All you have to do is look in the mirror. Make a careful examination of your face. Look at the lines. Are they signs of worry, anxiety or stress? Are they the tracks of toil? Or are they God’s signature of life spent in His service? You will know.
Look at those eyes. Are they joyful? Are they discouraged? Are they clear, comforting, compassionate? Or are they frightened, furtive or furious? What do you see when you really look?
Open your mouth. Show those teeth. Exuberant or defiant? Welcoming or rejecting? Angry or passive?
“His life is written on his face.” Yes, we know this is true in spite of all we do to hide that reality. We pretend with plastic perfection. Better to take a hard look than continue the spiritual make-up routine.
Excuse me while I find a mirror.
Topical Index: transgress, pasha’, teeth, Ezekiel 2:3
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“At fifty everyone has the face he deserves.”
George Orwell
Ezekiel 3:1 He said “Son of Man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the House of Israel.
Ezekiel 3:2 I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, Son of Man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you.
Ezekiel 3:3 I ate it and it tasted sweet as honey.
Matthew 8:20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
The first time I read the Bible end to end, I thought Matthew 8:20 was the key to understanding who Jesus was.
It seemed pretty clear to me that Jesus wanted to align himself with the Prophet Ezekiel.
What struck me at the time was that if Ezekiel were walking around “being himself” in our “post enlightenment” world, he would most likely be classified as psychotic and put into a mental institution.
An yet, it seemed pretty clear to me that Jesus wanted to align himself with the Prophet Ezekiel.
Skip, I was reading my daily devotional by Brennan Manning this morning….I always perk up when my devotional resources collide. It’s sort of like when Jesus repeats something twice in the Bible. This is what Mr. Manning said.
“After an interview with someone, Abraham Lincoln remarked to his secretary, ‘I don’t like that man’s face.’
His secretary reacted in amazement, ‘But that’s what his face is, he’s not responsible for his face.’
And Lincoln replied tartly, ‘After forty every man is responsible for his face.’
My face is the mirror of my moods. After four decades of dying and rising, I should have acquired sufficient emotional maturity to master my moods and maintain a tranquil facial expression. I think that’s what Honest Abe was implying.
I would not be writing this little chapter if a woman had not asked me this morning, ‘Why are you in such a rotten mood.'”
(taken from Reflections for Ragamuffins, Daily Devotions from the writings of Bennan Manning, 1997, HarperSanFrancisco)
Oh how true this is – I see some people (women mostly) that are in their 40’s that look 60 – their countenance is hard & their mouth is down-turned & because of smoking, drinking & tanning they are wrinkled & puffed. Their is no joy in their life because they do no know God/Jesus/Holy Spirit.
I thank God that I still have the joy of the Lord & that is my strength in Him & He has kept me younger looking than my years – it is His perservation/restoration in many ways than one in my physical body – it is only Him for sure. I do nothing to keep my skin looking younger in ways of prevention (creams, etc) – was never good at that or wearing lots of make-up. I know where this look of youth & preservation comes from – it comes from trusting & abiding in the Vine of life & He keeps in all ways – He is my Beloved & I am His…
So, so good today brother Skip;- another excellent meal sir! Most enjoyable and most revealing! That face! that face!- that “Cover Girl” face! (as the kids say… NOT!- LOL!-
Michael- the “Truth” often..- ouch! LOL! – As a carbon unit who has lived past the half-century mark, I’ll have to admit- I do look like I’ve been “rode hard, hung up wet and pulled through a knothole twice.” As the saying goes- (I don’t know if it’s Greek or Hebrew!)- “it’s not the years,- it’s the miles.” He looks like Eleven Miles of bad road!- LOL!
As Skip has poured his heart out over the past months, James “reminds” us also- (James 1:22) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
So there we have it. How ’bout that!- (once again..)- “it is written.” We’ve got “the face.” (That’s us- as the song says- “Just As I Am”- and now we know where to go to find this “mirror-mirror”-, the “perfect law of liberty.”
Maybe it all has to do with “the look?” -No, not how we “look”, .. but how we look-(at the Book). Did I just communicate that last clearly? Was there “confusion?” or was there “clarity?” Have I muddied the waters or are we “beholding our face as in a glassy pond- (the “still” waters?) This “look” is NOT a casual glance- it IS a careful gaze. LOOK!- take the “long look.” Stay awhile.. linger.. soak.. marinate- let (allow) His word(s) to soak in. Breath them in. Live them out. Lift them up. These are His- “words of life.”
No ordinary book- this “Bible!” (understatement of the year award!-lol!).. No- of all the books I’ve read (all five of them, including “Dick and Jane”- lol!)- this is the only book I have that “reads me!” It slices and dices and crushes and minces. Steps all over my toes- and squeezes the juice out of me.
There are but two things on this green planet that last. And they are……….? (The souls of men and the Word of G-d). James says to us -“For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes.” And again Peter says: For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: BUT (love those big Bible buts!)- the Word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. (Job 14:2) “Like a flower he comes forth and withers.”
So,- my little “fading flower”.. where is our hope now? I’m “fadin’ fast!”- lol! Where is the “bloom of youth?” Where is the “freshness” now? (I’m talkin’ to you- ol’ man!) – You can “go for the gusto” if you wish, but you’ll just burn out quicker. You know the drill.. “you gotta pay to play!”. (ol’ man..)
So- “Mr. Fadingfast” what are we gonna do about this? The second law of thermal dynamics is taking it’s toll. (No wonder I look as I do- it’s called the “erosion and exposure of time”).
Where is my “hope?” (or better yet..- is there any hope?) lol!- “what saith the scripture?”
“Now, (that’s right.. “now”) abideth (remains) “faith,hope and love.” You were expecting only “hope?” (Nope!). G-d gives unto us a threefold cord- “faith, hope and love.” Pardon me.. (hallelujah!)
Again-“What saith the scripture?” (we really do need to know this book,-y’all). “This” is why we are not discouraged: “Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4.16) Well then.. “out with the old- and in with the new!”, I say. Good-bye ol’ man- and good riddance to ya. So long self!- Not “I”, but Christ! – pardon me.. (woooohooooo!). Must be that “inner child” thing..lol!
And again (and again!)- (“taste it again- for the first time!”-lol!) How many times have we “heard” something without really “hearing” it? Listen! (maybe it will penetrate..) “If any man (that’s me!- I qualify!)- If any man be “in Christ”- he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, (take a long look!)- all things (all things?) are become new. (2 Corinthians 5.17).
Is this not our prayer today? .. “that I may know Him..” (Philippians 3.10) and -“that they (also) may know You, the only true G-d and Y’shua HaMashiach whom You have sent.” (John 17.3)
Beautiful point this morning. Even as this “world” looks to the aid of cosmetics and the surgical scalpel to “hide” from the truth, we have 2 points to consider:
First:) God looks past the exterior and directly at the heart. He looks past the legalistic venues that oftentimes hide the inner sin and rebellion. Likewise, he looks past the consequential physical effects due to hard living associated with ignorant lifestyles and rebellion, to the heart He softens through trial and repentance. THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS ETERNAL MERCY AND GRACE!
Second:) As the old children’s song goes…If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it; if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands!
I’ve been in the modeling industry (once upon a time) and it’s quite interesting to see the process that takes place between the time the model walks onto the set and the time the photograph is actually published. Our society looks for a beautiful face (perhaps recognizing subconsciously that beauty should be a reflection of a beautiful heart – which we know is often not true). If you see the model when she first arrives, she looks just like everyone else (and sometimes it’s quite scary). What’s hidden under the makeup and Photoshop retouching tells a very different story about what his/her life has been like. God sees under the makeup and past the touch-ups to the face and heart underneath. Imagine the difference in society if we truly believed that all the makeup in the world can’t cover a sad or rebellious heart, and if we allowed our true faces to show through. Would it change the way we act? Perhaps the fabled “Fountain of Youth” is truly the Word of God.
Well spoken, Amanda. Yes, what would the world be like if the “believers” could come out from the stained glass masquerade of feigned piety and worship God with every fiber of their being with every moment of their lives! We seem to miss the life-changing power of the Word made flesh and cross over into the health wealth prosperity gospel when we think physical/material beauty can equate the benefits of serving and worshipping our Creator and Redeemer. Uh…Job…what is wrong with you???
The word describes our Lord as:
“For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” Isaiah 53:2 Here we have the description of the Master as He physically walked among men. Many could not see Him as the royal King He was because He did not fit their mind’s eye picture of a king (futility of their minds?). The flesh and blood carnality of self blinded them from seeing the Lover of their soul, the Covenant Maker who is the only true and faithful witness.And so we have it today…we make-ip and dress up and never make it past the veil into the Holy of Holies because we don’t dare look at who we really are in the mirror. The Word tells us to examine ourselves. We are too busy looking at everyone else and comparing ourselves to them to see with the eyes of our heart to the Lord standing there and knocking, desiring for us to surrender all to Him so He can do what He wants.
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL…WHO IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL? Bless you dear one.
Shalom,
Skip … not to be argumentative but I think that many, many people that are blinded by the scales of delusion are not readily capable of recognizing transgression and rebellion.
I do not disagree with your commentary presented herein! 🙂 … Yet rebellion in the form of insincerity, heresy, disobedience and in extreme cases prejudice and hatred are rampant amongst purported believers. Does anyone honestly believe that these masses of people awake each day and think … “what a great day once again to rebel against YHVH!”
In fact I think it is more like something Skip commented upon in the past …. “people get comfortable with their sin and then their entire way turns to transgression” … sadly I would contend these folks look in the mirror and believe they are not in jeopardy. Sadly we have eyes but often times can not see!
Additionally I think people should be careful to make sure that we do not mistakenly be judgmental while applying such a commentary as this! The flesh can be easily fooled and in many cases the outward appearances of others is not a reflection of their heart attitude or even their fruit. As Paul states … we can only judge/assess truthfully “in spirit”!