What Lies Behind
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. Psalm 37:37
End – “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” So says the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession. In order to align this with David’s insight, we must recognize that glorifying God and enjoying Him is the equivalent of peace. That is good theology, but life doesn’t always seem like this, does it?
The psalmist introduces the “end of man” with a thought about the wicked. “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green tree.” We have seen the same thing. It seems as if the wicked prosper and prevail. It seems as if they hold sway in the court of worldly appeals. It seems as if they avoid real justice. It seems as if the man who says in his heart, “There really isn’t any god over me,” is the man who wrings from life all that it has to offer. At least it seems that way.
The idea of peace as the end of man is introduced by an acknowledgement of the success of the wicked. That’s important. The Bible does not shy away from the reality of life on this planet. It does not water down monstrous inhumanity or the absence of justice. It merely looks beyond those temporary situations. “For the end of that man” is the Hebrew phrase ki-aharit r’shaeem. You will discover the word aharit in this phrase. That word is quite amazing since it is the word for “future” and well as “end.” Some time ago we learned that the “future” is behind us, unknown but not chaotic. We approach the future by concentrating on our alignment with the proper markers in the past. Now it seems that the future is also our end, and if the psalmist is correct, that end is shalom. Now we can see why it doesn’t matter what success the wicked have in this age. The future of the wicked is extinction (“I sought him but he could not be found”) while the future of the righteous is shalom, a concept that is much, much larger than peace.
The psalmist offers a choice: green-tree-passing-away or upright-awaiting-peace. Both choices are paradoxical, not an unusual situation in biblical thought. What seems like shalom (prosperity, happiness, power) becomes extinction – total loss. What seems like restriction (righteous living, denial of self, cross-bearing) becomes well-being – total fulfillment. The only difference is the focus of the man. One man sees what is in front of him. The other man “sees” what is behind him. Aharit.
As we approach the end of the year, we can look “back” on those days when we thought God abandoned us to the slings and arrows of the wicked. We can wonder why He didn’t serve up justice for us with a silver spoon. We can ask Him to explain our losses, our trials and the grief we must bear. Or we can row toward shalom, knowing that the end is more important than the middle. If you are reading this today with me, you haven’t reached the end – but you are getting closer, aren’t you? Peace is coming. Rejoice!
Topical Index: shalom, aharit, end, wicked, Psalm 37:37
Ecc 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
Is 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee.
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!
“If you are reading this today with me, you haven’t reached the end – but you are getting closer, aren’t you? Peace is coming. Rejoice!”
Hi Skip, Good point!
To be Berean is fun, but for me it is not peaceful.
To find peace, I focus on “Yah Weh.”
To be (being in the world) or not to be (consciousness/nothingness)
That is the question (when we combine Hamlet with Jean Paul Sartre’s Being and Nothingness)
Harold Bloom at Yale argues that Hamlet contains every “Great Book” (In the “Western Canon”)
For me, Hamlet certainly brings Saul/Paul to mind (to be “in the world” or to be “in Christ”)
One could argue that for Sartre, Paul’s being “in the world” is a form of “bad faith”
And for Sartre, bad faith (mauvaise foi) is always the result of trying “to be” something.
Trying to be something (at the ontological level) when in fact we are really “nothing”
But the freedom that comes with this consciousness of our nothingness obliges us to act responsibly.
Consciousness is nothing but freedom to act, the freedom to choose, to obey or not to obey
When I must choose to between two actions, neither of which will bring me peace
I focus on my breath in Yah Weh or on the Om in Hombre
From Luke chapter 2. “There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim`on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of ADONAI. Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, Shim`on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said, “Now, ADONAI, according to your word, your servant is at peace as you let him go; for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu`ah, which you prepared in the presence of all peoples — a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim and glory to your people Isra’el.” Yeshua’s father and mother were marvelling at the things Shim`on was saying about him. Shim`on blessed them and said to the child’s mother, Miryam, “This child will cause many in Isra’el to fall and to rise, he will become a sign whom people will speak against; moreover, a sword will pierce your own heart too. All this will happen in order to reveal many people’s inmost thoughts.”
The Prince of Peace has come!- Rejoice!! “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on His shoulders, and He will be given the name Pele-Yo’etz El Gibbor Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty G-d, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace], in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of ADONAI-Tzva’ot will accomplish this. (Isaiah 53.6,7)
John 14.26: “But the Counselor, the Ruach HaKodesh, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything; that is, He will remind you of everything I have said to you. “What I am leaving with you is shalom — I am giving you my shalom. I don’t give the way the world gives. Don’t let yourselves be upset or frightened. You heard me tell you, `I am leaving, and I will come back to you.’
What is behind: Messiah has come! “A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people Israel.” (Luke 2.32)
What is today: Imanu’el -YHWH, in the midst of us!
What is before us: -“Don’t let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in G-d and trust in me. In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. Furthermore, you know where I’m going; and you know the way there.” T’oma said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going; so how can we know the way?” Yeshua said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me. Because you have known me, you will also know my Father; from now on, you do know Him — in fact, you have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it will be enough for us.” Yeshua replied to him, “Have I been with you so long without your knowing me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am united with the Father, and the Father united with me?
“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
I agree. Good theology. So I have a question that I have reformed answers to. But what would the answer be from the Hebrew world view?
If the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, then what is the chief end of God? 🙂
To glorify himself – that’s the first thing that comes to mind. But maybe it needs some further reflection.
So at first glance both Hebrew and Greek alike agree on the bottom line.?!
Perhaps further reflection could be a good thing. Piper says “To glorify Himself AND ENJOY Himself forever”
This is at the root of my pursuit of pure true (which I also perceive as pure love). My chief end must be to participate as fully as I can in His delight. Hench my pursuit of Torah with all my might.
Shalom
Blessings on you.
Back at ya 😉
Thankyou, Pam. That is beautiful.
In the dialogue between Skip and Pam (and bringing up the Westminster Confession and Piper), I was reminded of a message that was delivered by Piper in 2003 titled “A Generation Passionate for the Holiness of God.” (You can see/hear this on You-Tube and I would commend it to you all – 5 or so 8-10 minute segments). Very powerful. Made me think about this matter of “the chief end of man” and/or the “chief end of God” in a whole new way….Both were wrapped up in this idea, as Pam recites, of experiencing God’s delight but what was interesting was how Piper argued that all of this was centered in God’s Holiness (Isaiah 6). Any wonder that in both I and II Peter (books I have been studying and teaching), Peter exhorts his readers to live up to their calling to “be holy in all you do” because God Himself is Holy (I Peter 1:14-16)(II Peter 3:11-14). Sounds like “chief ends” talk to me. Maybe this is God’s chief end for Himself (the exaltation of His Holiness) and chief end for us (glorify God and enjoy Him forever).
Anyhow, Piper begins by attempting to define the indefinable (God) and particularly, a definition of Holiness. His attempted definition goes like this: “God’s Holiness is His Infinite Value as the Absolutely Unique, Morally Perfect, Permanent Person He is and Who, by Grace, has made Himself accessible.” Piper went on to say that “the glory of God is the radiance, or the streaming forth of His intrinsic Holiness [i.e. His Infinite Value as the Absolutely Unique, Morally Perfect, Permanent Person He is]…God’s glory is when His Holiness goes public! And of course, even the demons acknowledged that Jesus was the “Holy One of God.” (Mark 1:24)
So then, Piper continued, Jesus is the Holiness of God made accessible. Jesus is the Holiness of God made tolerable. Jesus is the Holiness of God made enjoyable…We are made to feast on Holiness found in Jesus. Therefore, the chief end of God housed within the perfections of His love (God is love) is His passion to sustain and uphold and exalt His Holiness, in His Son, for our everlasting enjoyment.
Any wonder then that the overwhelming theme of Scriptures regards this matter of holiness. Makes Rick Warren’s “Purpose-Driven Life” feel like child’s play to me. Maybe a better discussion would be the “Holiness-Driven Life”. Probably wouldn’t sell as well, though.
Piper stands right on the edge and then fails to see that His Holiness comes through a righteous walk according to Torah. So frustrating to listen to so much good stuff and then see him so near the truth, but then zing, rick-ashy off the Torah and bulls-eye into tradition.
Al Martin once preached a sermon in our congregation called “Near is not Near enough” from Mk.12:34;
And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, “Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no man after that dared ask Him any question. Makes me shudder!
Ro 6:19 I speak in the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye have yielded your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members as servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord,
“Maybe a better discussion would be the “Holiness-Driven Life”. Probably wouldn’t sell as well, though.”
I would buy it if you will write it.
Shalom
Yes, and Piper is not alone. How powerful the tradition and canonical theology! It diverts so many who otherwise are right there, ready to embrace the whole of Scripture. If Piper can be distracted from the great conclusion and the greater continuity, are we surprised when the vast majority of sincere believers don’t see the connection?
Only those who recognize the place of holiness, even if they are still struggling to stay on the path, would be interested in a holiness-driven life. All the rest are more than likely to want a purpose-driven life because “purpose” focuses its attention on me rather than on God. But I find this typical. Even in our theological concerns, the true motivation is often self. There is such a desire for establishing our own value in a chaotic world that even our experience of God has shifted to what it means for me. This subtle yet powerful shift moves religion from the glorification of YHWH to the fulfillment of Man. It overlooks the fact that if no human being existed God would still be glorified in all that He did or did not do. Human holiness is simply one of the many ways God is glorified. If we do not begin our thinking about God with awe and mystery, we end up thinking about God’s usefulness to us.
“If we do not begin our thinking about God with awe and mystery, we end up thinking about God’s usefulness to us.”
I woke up this morning AGAIN musing over the beauty of Messiah and His ways. Our incentive to glorify Him is that He is our inheritance. All that we give to Him is returned to us ten fold. To build Him up is to build up ourselves. He is the Husband that will never divorce us. The King who delights in us as we delight in Him. All that is ours is truly in Him. Our treasure is in Him. Our life is in Him. For all the promises of God in Him are “yea”; and in Him “amen” unto the glory of God by us.
For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
My soul does magnify YHVH and my spirit has rejoiced in Adoni my Yeshua.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty has done to me great things, and holy is His name.
And His mercy is on them that fear Him, from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
I love these guys! They will have so much to answer for if YHVH leaves them in this condition. I don’t want to see that happen. Would you all please join me and pray for them?
Great insight, that religion is about focus on self and what God can do for man, not what man does for YHVH.