The End of the World
My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts – the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Psalm 57:4 ESV
Children of man – Who are the lions in your life? Who are the fiery beasts? Whose spears and arrows must you withstand? Whose sharp swords seek to wound you? The day will come when the lion will lie down with the lamb. The animals will be at peace. But not the children of Man.
David uses imagery for fearful creatures to capture the actions of human beings. We are the savages of the world, not the lion pride or the cobra’s nest. We are the ones who seek to harm, to slay, for no reason except pride, revenge, gain or power. We are the ones who flaunt our disobedience before our Maker and arrogantly imagine that He will not notice. In this world, we are the greatest threat to life and peace. And from the bottom of the hole in the earth, David recognizes that his battle is not with God’s other creatures. It is with what we have chosen to become.
Michael and I had a conversation about psychological therapy practice. I suggested that the standard therapy models are essentially Greek. They focus on the psyche, the inner self. They ask us to be introspective, to look within to discern the causes of our traumas and change our thinking so that our place in the world will be more comfortable. But it seems to me that the Hebraic view is entirely different. If I want to improve the condition of my life, I must first extend myself toward the other. In fact, as long as my world is filled with “the children of man,” any changes of mind are merely temporary relief from the epidemic of human narcissism. If I want a different life, I must change the ways of the children of men. That means, it seems to me, that real Hebraic therapy is not about me at all. It is about me benefiting others. Until I am willing to engage in improving the lives of the children of men, I will not find the inner peace I seek. My joy comes from the experience of blessing someone else. My psychological well-being is a function of how much I show hesed to the other. I find shalom in paying my debt forward, not in attempting to reconcile accounts receivable.
The children of men are the problem. The only real question is whether or not I am the solution to the problem. And introspection will not bless the children of men. Introspection looks in the wrong direction.
Are you depressed? Discouraged? In turmoil? Angry? Unsatisfied? Conflicted? What if your therapist told you, “Volunteer at the school for handicapped children for two months” or “Write 100 letters to service men and women offering them thanks and encouragement” or “Visit people in the nursing home and write a journal of their life stories”? What impact do you think that would have on your psychological problems? Without hesed there is no life. Without hesed there are only the children of men.
Topical Index: children of Man, bene-’adam, shalom, Psalm 57:4
What if your therapist told you, “Volunteer at the school for handicapped children for two months” or “Write 100 letters to service men and women offering them thanks and encouragement” or “Visit people in the nursing home and write a journal of their life stories”?
Hi Skip,
I would not be very happy to pay a therapist $100 per hour to resolve a personal or family issue
And then be told to do something that has nothing to do with my problem 🙂
In my view, therapists are more often than not addressing communication issues
It’s the old “talking cure”
The problem that many folks suffer from in our society is a lack of community
We have long been known as “alienated” Americans
Alienated from ourselves and from others
It seems to me that our economic problems are also becoming somewhat ominous
Bernanke is doing all he can to create jobs, but not doing so well
Wall street is doing fine of course, but that’s just 1% of the population
I think helping others is a great thing to do and good for the soul
But I think psychological services can be extremely valuable as well
And a lot of the famous psychologists were Jews (Freud, Fromm, Frankel)
Perhaps you have hit upon the reason there were no psychologists in the biblical world. Fragmentation of community leads to all kinds of other problems.
Skip, Thank you for the reminder of why I no longer do psychological counseling.
Why not, Roy? Maybe now you are better equipped than ever before to help people back to the relations and community they left.
So simple; – (the) Self, or (the) Savior?
Me? ~ I AM (I have been AND I now am) crucified with Christ…
Self? Long gone, dead and forgotten. See ya! Yes Michael, yes Skip, yes Joe, yes Sally. and yes me,- are we (ALL) listening? Wonderful. ~ NOT (NOT) *I*, But… Christ. (p.s. -it’s not about me!)
Don’t look at me,- look at (focus on) Him!!
Why not “I?”. What a day it will be when all adams recognize and realize “I” am not the center of the known universe. It is NOT about “me!” Narcissism (and we do most assuredly live within a “Me” – or “self” -centered society!) is egocentric, or “self-centered.” Egocentric living is eccentric (or off-centered) living!
(We have been here before- haven’t we?) For those who never have been exposed: EGO = Edge God Out. And BTW, ~ “only” by pride comes contention! ~
Friends, we have met the enemy and he is “US!” We are (most assuredly) the problem. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and NOT upon the man in the mirror. As John the Immerser, under the inspiration of the Ruach HaKodesh stated (another confirmation of this truth)- ~ He must increase… BUT (I do love those Big Bible Buts!!)- BUT “I” must decrease.. He must become greater and greater, and “I” must become less and less. The way Up is Down.
Step down little fella.. and “humble your SELF” in the sight of God. (as in “Bow the Knee!”)
Paul, (formerly known as Saul) had every reason to “boast in the flesh”- he was (according to the Law) a very highly edumacated and “religious” man. Never fail to look for Satan in the pulpit. Satan loves religion (false religion) because this LOSER and this LIAR has always lusted to be worshiped.
~ There is a way that seems right to a man, but (another big Bible but!) – but the end thereof is the way of death.~ (selah!) Yes, amen and Pause,- and think about that! Let us remember (and how many exhortations are there in the holy scriptures for us to remember? (ZAKAR, adam- it is both your duty and your delight!)- Let us (always) remember His words, and when the Living Word (the Author of the Book) speaks the written word and says to us: “it is written” we really should give unto Him the courtesy of our “focused attention.” (in Hebrew, kavannah).
Why should we (the students or disciples or learners) listen to Him? – Hmmm.. we have a Teacher, a Textbook and a “classroom.” – Welcome, little ones to the University of Life 101. What lessons, little Johnny will we learn today? And when does learning take place? When we “do,” when we listen, learn and do, when we “shema” (hear AND obey) the scriptures, when we are “doers of the Word and NOT hearers only.” When we heed (pay attention) – when we “hearken”- ( act upon the instructions given) by our Teacher. Here is another wondrously beautiful thing:
“When the student is ready to learn, the Teacher will show up!” -but are we listening?
Do we suffer from an identity crisis? Have we forgotten who we are?
Who is our Teacher? -and while we’re in the neighborhood, – who is the student?- In addition, what Textbook or User’s Manual are we studying today? (When all else fails,- read the manual!)- but why (inquiring minds want to know) do we wait until we have exhausted (or are exhausted) all resources of the flesh, until we (finally!) settle down to open up God’s own Words to His own children and again.. “read and follow” His instructions! This is “Living by the Book,” -and the only way to fly!
Are the holy scriptures “practical” for our daily bread (and butter!) ? YES!!- ~What do the scriptures say? ~ (first of all, little carl- “you” do err-not knowing the scriptures nor the power (authority/dominion) of God! ~ Carl (himself) just exhaled, and confessed (agreed)-no, I do not.. “Please teach me”-
Here, dear friends, are His life-imparting words: ~ For I (Myself) shall teach you; I shall make known to you the way in which to go and I shall set my eyes upon you ~ (Psalm 32.8)
Does God see “me?” Well, did He see Adam? Did He know about Eve? Does He see when a sparrow falls? Did He witness Adam murder his brother? (Shall we continue this list for the next few millenia?) What about Abraham, Amos, Jeremiah, David, Solomon.. etc..- But… (lol!)- What about my (sin-stained and scarred) self? Does God see me? Right here. Right now.- and “just as I am?” – YES!!, – (warts and all!)
This is just the beginning of a beautiful relationship. For I must confess, -I am His and He is mine!
Friends, there is a “rest that remains” to the people of God, to the ones belonging to Him! Hallelujah for the cross!, – for I have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know;
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so.
Oh, this full and perfect peace!
Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.
Heaven above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen:
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
Things that once were wild alarms
Cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms,
Pillowed on the loving breast.
Oh, to lie forever here,
Doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear,
I am His, and He is mine.
His forever, only His:
Who the LORD and me shall part? 🙂
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heaven and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline;
But, while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
~ What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Breath who is in you, whom you have of God, and you are not your own? ~ Because you have been bought with a price; (continuously/consciously) be glorifying God with your body and with your spirit, which are God’s ~
(1 Corinthians 6.19,20)
We are now under new Ownership. He now has purchased us and p-owns us. And we are also under new management- for He IS now, on this very day and at this very hour our LORD.
The wages (or consequences) of sin is death (or separation), but what are the wages (or consequences) of obedience?
What if? What if we were to (both) hear and obey? What if? What if we were to “shema” the scriptures and live according to His instruction?
What if? What if adam would have listened (attentively) to his Creator’s instructions?- “don’t eat the fruit?”
Who was the most obedient man ever to have lived? Only One qualifies. And we know tHis Name!!
(helpful household hint..)- it wasn’t Adam. Or Abraham. Or Moses. Or David. Or Paul or Peter or Mary..
~ because ALL (save One) have sinned ~ (therefore) we ALL are, this very day in need of a Savior!
If we ask, will we receive? If we confess our sins- is He “Faithful and Just” ~ to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness? ~ (Hallelujah!- YES!!)
Today LORD: ~Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin ~ (Psalm 51.2)
~Ask, and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock (patiently/persistently) and you will find ~
~ But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared ~
~ and the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.. ~
The beginning of wisdom and the beginning of a beautiful relationship, – for behold, I am His and He is mine.
~ And there is therefore now- (today) no condemnation to those who are *in Christ Jesus..!* ~
~Bless the LORD, O my soul- and ALL that is within me.. Bless His holy Name! ~
“So simple; – (the) Self, or (the) Savior?”
Hi Carl,
I don’t think it is simple, because the terms above are ambiguous
For example, one could argue our true Self is our God-like Self
And our false self is our so-called Ego
That we find our true Self by doing what God wants
But that we are to a large extent responsible for “saving” ourselves
And paradoxically, we save ourselves by helping others
But paradoxically, we won’t know if we are saved or not until we die
LOL
‘…a very highly edumacated and religious man”
Carl, for a moment you had me excited as I thought you had introduced me to a new word in the English language ” edumacated”. I love learning new words! Then I became depressed as I discovered that it is probably a typo….o well after I take my anti depressant pills I will probably be OK
no brother John, it “ain’t’ likely anyone would find the word “educmacated” in any liberry, even though in this instance I thought (please forgive me) adequately apropos.
~ and a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray ~
(Isaiah 35.8)
Who then, – may be saved?- and why was the veil of the Temple torn in two?
Is it Paul, only? David, only? Peter, only? Weren’t God’s own words- “whosoever will” may come..?
~ Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ~
And their answer was?
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ~”
Hi Carl,
I’ve met quite a few folks in AA meetings who believe God has saved them many times
Over the last 40 years, I have driven home quite a few times on very dangerous roads
And like my colleagues in AA, I remember driving as fast as I could but don’t remember
Anything after leaving the bar, except that God must have a a Hand in my safe arrival
I would hate to have been the cause of someone to become depressed and to seek out the comfort of a pill (or a bottle!) – all because of the probable-ility of a single thought. Carl, -watch your words! – and please.. pay more gooder attention to the spel-chekker!
Carl, your wisdom is always spot on — touches everything — kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it.
I love your gems! and your funnies. I always get a smile and a huge dose of grace from your posts.
I noticed the other day Skip kindly commented he thought you ought to be a preacher in the deep South. 🙂
And I wanted to reply: — he is, he is,– deep South, far North, wide East, and way out West, too!
Ecc. 11: 1
Carl, thanks for responding! I think (I hope) you know that I was just havin’ a little fun! For what it is worth, I do not take any pharma pills and pray that I never will. Sometimes, I like to get a little juvenile and a little silly. A little levity now and then helps balance out the seriousness and intensity that Skip Moen brings “to the table”.
John- that was SOOOO funny! I had a good laugh at what you wrote. Thanks for that! 🙂
Hope you are OK now! lol
Shalom!
Thy Word is Truth
The Logos became flesh.
John was sent to testify of the coming of the Light to men’s dark hearts. Dreadful darkness indeed, when it is needful to send a witness to testify that the Light has come.
By One Word, *In Christ* is all that we need for this life and eternal life.
The Holy Scriptures are the Word of God. When God sends it to the target by His Spirit, it convinces powerfully, converts powerfully, and comforts powerfully.
It makes a soul that has long been proud, to be humble; and a perverse spirit, to be meek and obedient.
Sinful habits, that felt natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, are separated and cut off by this sword.
It shows to men their deepest thoughts and purposes, the bad principles they are motivated by, and the sinful ends they lead to. The Word will show the sinner all the vileness of his heart.
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Rom. 8: 34
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2: 1
Skip, you have put your finger on a major problem in the western world that has resulted in as you put it: an epidemic of narcissism, depression, anxiety, addictions, materialism, etc., When I look at the millions (or is it billions now?) that is dispensed every year in the USA on toxic pharmaceutical solutions to the above list and more, I ask myself why? Greek thinking is indeed a major part of it all. Indeed the whole health care (really disease care) industry is based on many false premises – trying to find solutions in popping pills instead of making lifestyle changes is one. In the psychiatry and psychology arenas, we are subbing in pills for many problems that demand spiritual solutions.
The thoughts you shared today could save millions of people a lot of pain, a lot of unhappiness and a lot of money if they took heed and put them into practice in their lives.
What a blessing to know hesed and His Ways!
“Without hesed there is no life.” AMEN, Skip.
“a lack of community”… a lack of good, wholesome, healthy community? I agree. Society has become so dysfunctional and fractured that any sense of HEALTHY community is practically extinct in this age.
“a lot of the famous psychologists were Jews (Freud, Fromm, Frankel)”… and your point, Michael? Freud was as crazy as it gets! Just because western culture isn’t “doing it right” doesn’t mean that Israel or the “eastern culture” is!!! Man is a mess.
I think blessing others is often the solution, but I think getting good counsel and having another person help you look for biblical solutions is also appropriate. A person might need rest, change in diet, to forgive or even have surgery etc. I think seeing a counselor with a good biblical worldview can be part of your search and desire for community.
“In this world, we are the greatest threat to life and peace. And from the bottom of the hole in the earth, David recognizes that his battle is not with God’s other creatures. (meant that to be emphasized)
Clearly this reveals that knowing and quoting Scriptures is insufficient in having a relationship with ABBA YHWH. Our adversary /satan in Hebrew, is very proficient in that area too.
It is with what we have chosen to become is the vital criteria; do we desire change to we walk in newness of revelation and insights gleaning from the many sound Hebraic teachers around, or do we insist on staying in our cozy, comfortable corner, will be the challenge.
“The animals will be at peace. But not the children of Man.”
Eccl 3: 18 ….I said in mine heart concerning the estate/end/order/cause of the sons of men,
that Elohim might manifest/examine/select/purify/chose/cleanse them,
and that they might see/perceive/consider/inspect/exhibit/distinguish,
that they themselves/if indeed are beasts.
“Until I am willing to engage in improving the lives of the children of men, I will not find the inner peace I seek.”
A lady I know was in a much better state of mind when I was counselling her to change her diet and habits of running around, but the moment her psychologist told her that she is matured enough to make her own decisions and choices, as she was upset presuming I was trying to assert myself on her, she became more independent, and she went downhill in her health and is put on high dosage of medication. This lady is now onto a naturopath and hopefully not dependent upon medication, but alternate therapy such as nutrition.
Looking forward to that day when the lion will lie with the lamb! Shalom!
My chesed scripture about after the judgement, is Psalm 103:17… In this world, as with agape, GOD pours out HIS agape, loving kindness, chesed, on the just and the unjust…but after the judgement it will be on those who have been righteous, kept HIS commandments and ahava HIM.
Of course it is to those in HIS covenant, it is now and forever! But if they don’t finish…endure to the end…?
Let’s be honoust: we all need some therapy now and than. I have found a form of therapy that really helped me, because the basic ideas are found in Tanach. No wonder, for the founder of this therapy is the late professor Nagy, a pupil of Levinas and Buber. It’s called ‘contextual therapy’ and focusses not on the individual, but on his relations and the balance of giving and receiving in these relations. Knowing Buber and Levinas, this is no more than obvious. If you are in need of any therapy and contextual therapy is available in your region, I would advise you to go there. I found a christian contextual therapist and must confess: it’s kind of special to end your session with prayer….