Capitol Conditions
Hate evil, love good and establish justice in the gate; . . . Amos 5:15
Gate – In the ancient near east, the city was protected by walls and a gate. The elders of the city sat in the gate, watching for strangers or circumstances that might be dangerous. As a result, political and social issues were settled where the elders sat – at the gate. The idiom “in the gate” (vasha’ar) means “where the politically and socially powerful conduct human affairs.” The modern equivalent is the congress and the capitol. “In the gate” is wherever men (and women) determine the policies that govern the populace.
Amos’ declaration poses immediate problems for our version of religion. In this Western culture, religion is a “personal” matter. From television pundits to famous preachers, we are taught that our experience with God is private. We believe in personal salvation, a relationship between the adherent and God Himself. We espouse the separation of Church and State. Amos’ declaration falls outside the scope of religious consideration. Amos talks about politics, social policy and economic affairs, not about a heart-relationship with God. His suggestions are ruled illicit. In our world, preachers need to stay in the pulpit. Politicians sit in the gate.
Of course, it doesn’t take very much reflection to evaluate what happens when men of God don’t sit in the gate. Just look around. Is this what we really wanted? We have the “great society,” but in every corner there is evil, rejection of the good and injustice. The nightly news is full of stories of corruption. The civilization practices immorality, idolatry and crimes against humanity without consequence. Who is responsible for this collapse? We are! We were supposed to be sitting in the gate. We were supposed to be guiding the community and the civilization from God’s perspective. Amos doesn’t say, “Now those who are believers should set up their own society.” He says that we who are followers must enter into this society and take positions of power in order to bring God’s order to the world. We are salt – the preservative of the moral order – and light – the beacon of justice. At least that is the intention. But we have opted for privacy. We have decided to abdicate the throne to those who seek it. We have retired from guidance and wisdom in order to protect our own castles. We have failed. We are guilty.
Now we face an enormous task. We must stand up and stand fast. We must take back the gate. Many will decry the effort claiming we have no right or authority. We have every right and all the authority. In fact, we have an obligation to sit in the gate because it is God’s city. Cloistered environments and retired living are not God’s objectives. We are here to redeem this world. The job won’t be done until the gate belongs to the King.
If your life is circumscribed by your own castle walls, if you have barricaded yourself from the evil of the world, if you are afraid of the gate, then something is wrong. Amos calls you to change. Get up. Get out. Get going. Our faith is lived in the world where God is at work establishing justice.
Topical Index: gate, sha’ar, politics, Amos 5:15
Our words are so powerful. They can prejudice the mind through the power of suggestion. We are able through the power of the tongue to plant “seed-thoughts” in the minds of those who hear our words. Y’shua has stated-“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” Wow! “every” word! (Matthew 12.36)
Yes, we do need to be careful in the choosing of our words, don’t we? My words even now, are being “judged” and discerned. Not only through my eyes and thought processes, but by those who will view them later. The prayer of David really comes into a more intense focus: “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in your presence, ADONAI, my Rock and Redeemer.” (Psalm 19.14) Listen again to David’s words- “my mouth,” “my heart” “your presence, ADONAI.” Now tell me there is no “personal” G-d. (Not only am I offended, -I am inflamed!). I thank you for this. Now let me testify of “my” G-d. Bless you for this. Hallelujah!
It’s okay, I’m in “good company!” lol! “Westerners” believe in a personal G-d! Oh, I needed a good belly laugh today and it has been provided, right here.. Thank you! Rabbi Sha’ul (remember him?) stated in Philippians 4.19: “Moreover, my God will fill every need of yours according to his glorious wealth, in union with the Messiah Yeshua.” “My” G-d? Sounds personal to me Paul. lol! Or how about King David? “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil from your perspective; so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence.” (Psalm 51.4) “You,you,your,you,me.” David must have been a “Westerner.” Or maybe he was from the eastern part of the West. No matter, he believed in ADONAI- “my Master.” “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14.12) “Each” and “all.” We’re “back to happy.” Oh.. before we leave this, -would this include people from the East, North, South and West? Yes, – Every body.
Because we believe in a personal G-d, we may now ask the personal question:”LORD, what will you have me to do today?” How may I be salt and light in my circle of influence? How may I serve and love my neighbor? I will worship YHWH individually and I will worship corporately because He is “my Master” also. -These are my words. Amen.
-And ADONAI, knowing I will be held accountable for every word I speak, please help me to “watch my words.” May the words leaving my mouth be healing and helpful, not hurting and hateful. Use me ABBA to do what is pleasing in your eyes this very day, awake and aware ADONAI, -you are near. Amen.
The importance of this message cannot be understated. With the division of the people of this Nation standing near 50%, between right and wrong, it is imperitave that believers stand up for the truth. And, yes, there will be casualties and consequences, but they will be far worse if we DON’T take a stand.
In Hebrew, the word for truth is EMET, spelled Aleph-Mem-Tav.
The first, middle and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
The first two letters, Aleph-Mem form the Hebrew root word for “MOTHER”, EM. A Hebrew child calls his Mother “Emma”
Dropping the first letter, Aleph, the middle and last letters, Mem-Tav, together form the root word for DEATH, MeT.
The spiritual teaching of this word “TRUTH” is that TRUTH is God’s word, from the first letter through the last letter and all inbetween. Mother represents birth, WOMB, Death represents the end of our Earthly journey,teh TOMB. From the womb to the tomb God’s word is TRUTH, and can be relied upon to instruct and guide us through our lives.
The first letter, Aleph, means “strong leader, first, it’s number is 1, and this letter always stands for God. Remove the letter Aleph (God) and all thats left to us is DEATH!
We are to follow, and pattern ourselves after the strong leader (the Aleph), and take our places in the gate to help guide and warn the people of plots and evil.
Yeshua said “I AM the way the TRUTH (EMET) and the life.” [John 14:6
He also said “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, (in Hebrew, the ALEPH and the TAV) the FIRST and the LAST.” [Rev 1:8]
REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER, and vote for leaders who will take the stand for God and TRUTH (EMET). It is our civic and moral duty to participate in the process of Government.
Let us be the salt and the light we were called by God to be.
awesome post brother Fink! -thank you for sharing.. may I have your permission to share this?
We freely receive, we freely give. Share with whom God leads you to share with.
Hi Ron,
I can stream in “I’m Your Man” from NetFlix and watch Bono talk about Truth and Beauty.
Or listen to Rufus Wainwright sing Hallelujah Lyrics, an example thereof.
And there is a beautiful moment, when Leonard Cohen retells a story from the Bhagavad Gita:
“Arjuna. The general. The great general. He’s standing in his chariot. And all the chariots are readied for war.
And across the valley, he sees his opponents.
And there he sees not just uncles and aunts and cousins, he sees gurus, he sees teachers that have taught him; and you know how the Indians revere that relationship.
He sees them.
And Krishna, one of the expressions of the deity, says to him, “you’ll never untangle the circumstances that brought you to this moment. You’re a warrior. Arise now, mighty warrior.”
With the full understanding, that they’ve already been killed, and so have you.
“This is just a play. This is my will. You’re caught up in the circumstances that I determine for you.
That you did not determine for yourself.
So, arise, you’re a noble warrior. Embrace your destiny, your fate, and stand up and do your duty.””
If any of our politicians demonstrated one once of the leadership in Arjuna.
I would walk “40 miles” to vote for them in November.
Unfortunately, they don’t.
In my view, it really doesn’t matter if Meg Whitman or Jerry Brown are governor.
They are both OK.
This post is a reminder of a Greek word, ekklesia which appears in the New Testament. The ekklesia were the “called out ones.” This would be a group in a city or town who were “called out” to deal with issues of the township.
In other words, the “ekklesia” was the governing body of the township. In antiquity, they met sometimes 30-40 times in a year, and usually discussed issues that involved a change to the law, appointments to official positions, contracts, peace, war, and finance. (You can read more on this in Colin Brown’s, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3 vols.)
I awoke very early this morning, and tried to go back to sleep, to no avail. I was attempting to justify to God, why He should permit me to be released from serving on my local City Council. Finally, I came in and read this, and the scripture which immediately came to mind was this:
Isaiah 65:24 “It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (a ‘thank-you, Father!’ moment)
I am sure there are a multitude of people like me, across our nation, who are in the same situation that I am – seeing the need for guidance according to eternal principles, yet thinking to themselves, “I already have a life. I don’t have time for this.” It is very difficult to continue on sometimes, when we do not see things moving in the direction we believe is required in order for our nation to have the protection (much less, blessing) of God. And, like the many others who volunteer for public service, eventually the headlines will bring to our own thoughts, “Hey, I am doing that, and it’s COSTING me, rather than paying me!” However, that does not give me an excuse to abandon the heritage that has been entrusted to me. I am still bound by the original call that I heard:
Jeremiah 29:7 “‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”
According to this verse, Tip O’Neill’s quote would be correct. “All politics IS local!” LOL!
Praise God for his answers that come before we even ask! And I am so grateful for this site and the teachings posted, debated, and expanded here.
Dear sister,
I left a big post on “Place Settings” that probably has some of you thinking I don’t believe in being part of our society. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’m still politically active and will probably be cranking it up a notch very soon.
We spent 14 years living in a bus by faith going from ministry to small ministry making repairs for those who couldn’t afford to hire someone. Very important work. All volunteer. A total blessing to us.
But even more importantly, I have worked at one of the largest most politically radical New Age organic Farm supply companys in the world for the last 6 years. (I’m on leave now to care for my mom) For the first three years I was in a Sunday church which was no problem because they’re closed on Sunday. But then YHVH made it clear that we were to go back to keeping the things He had brought us into 20 years prior. Torah
Pr 16:7 When man’s ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
They’ve kept me on in spite of the fact that I must be out the door before sundown Fri. night and absent on Sat. which is their biggest day for sales. They must adjust everyone elses schedule to allow me to take the festivals off which is especially tricky because Ron and I follow the calender according to the sighting of the New Moon.
Everything in my life is the complete antithesis to everyone elses. And they all know that I live like this because I serve the living God of Israel and His Son Messiah Yeshua.
YHVH has been with me every moment in this place and I have very good friends that I pray for and with by their request. They know I came out of the life they live in and wonder why. They keep me on because I’m a really high producing employee that they can count on.
All of this to say Live Torah before YHVH and before the Nations. Be open about it (not obnoxious) and let your light shine. Love people as He does and seek their good but live Torah openly. That is what it’s for.
De. 46 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
Good morning Gayle! Thank you for sharing. May you continually stand in the strength that only our King can give.
May your voice be His Voice and may your heart be His Heart! Take courage and God bless!
Besides wall watchers we need gatekeepers. Enough with the lions being led by the lambs.
“I am never afraid of an army of Lions led into battle by a Lamb. I fear more the army of Lambs who have a Lion to lead them.” – Alexander the Great
good morning Roderick.. – then let us be the army of lambs who have the Lion of Judah to lead us!!