Personal Pronoun
“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25 NASB
Your – “Centuries of Christian usage have accustomed readers of the New Testament to think of ‘forgiveness’ as primarily a gift to the individual person, which can be made at any time. It is, in that sense, abstract and ahistorical, however much it may burst upon one’s consciousness with fresh delight in particular historical situations. On this basis, analyses of Jesus’ offer of forgiveness have tended to focus on the piety (the sense of forgiveness) or the abstract theology (the fact of forgiveness, or the belief in it) of Jesus’ hearers and/or the early church. The entire argument of this book so far indicates that this puts the cart before the horse. What is regularly missing from analyses of forgiveness is that which, arguably, stands front and centre in precisely those biblical and post-biblical Jewish texts upon which Jesus and the early church drew more heavily. Forgiveness of sins is another way of saying ‘return from exile.’”[1]
The suffixed pronoun, ka, to the noun pešaʿ, resulting in the translation “your transgressions,” doesn’t indicate the referent of the pronoun. But the referent is crucial. It is not you and me. It is Israel, the nation of the elect, the entire constituency of the children of YHVH. N. T. Wright’s observation resets the entire stage of our egocentric concern with forgiveness. YHVH forgives—Israel—at a time when He restores the Kingdom to the earth. Then the nation will know the righteousness of YHVH. Then the people will see the holiness of their God and experience His Torah pouring froth from Zion. Then the Messiah will turn over the Kingdom to the Father. Then our burdens will be lifted and full fellowship will become a reality.
But until then, we breathe Babylon—and choke on the air.
If we are going to pursue a life of righteousness, we will need more motivation than “doing the right thing,” a culturally dependent motive easily circumvented in the face of emotional desires. We will need more than morality to survive the tsunami of excuses and approvals that Babylon offers. Even the truth of wounding the heart of YHVH may not be enough to overcome long-established patterns of self-protection. Perhaps that’s why Wright’s comment is so important. Forgiveness is a God-act, and it isn’t complete until God removes Babylon. Yes, we as individuals can experience the blessing of acquittal. Yes, we can know grace as salve for the soul. But in the end, sin will surround until God acts to remove its presence.
If you wondered why, once forgiven, you continue to fight, sometimes losing your grip on the righteousness you so desperately need, now you know. We wait for God. We wait in anticipation of the day when Israel, all Israel, will at last be home. Day 8.
Topical Index: forgiveness, exile, Babylon, Isaiah 43:25
[1] N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, p. 268.
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And just who are the 144,000 of Revelation 14, who are successfully keeping the “commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”? Are they not the perfected Body of the saints, signified by the perfect formation 12 x 12 and a thousand deep, of a Body who has finally gotten it figured out, and can finally show the world what obedience is, and how to do it, and that it CAN BE DONE? And HOW are they doing those commandments of G-d? The verse tells us: with the faith of Yeshua, and not their own. They have learned how to light the holy fire with His Spirit, and not with sparks of their own kindling. They have given up on might and power, as those have always been the methods of righteousness (law) that the world is forced to employ, and have learned (perfected) the way of the Spirit, and no, I don’t think that means that they stayed in church all week laying on the floor!
Is not the Kingdom come when the Law has been perfected in the subjects, and will they not be the executors of righteousness when their obedience has been fulfilled? Has not the accusation of ha-satan from the Garden on been that the requirements of G-d are impossible to keep, but did not Yeshua come to return to us the power that enables us to do that? Unforgiven sin weakens me. Guilt cuts me off at the knees. Shame makes me an easy prey. Fear; that fear that is a side effect of the insanity that attempting to follow a lie always engenders, is the biggest source of weakness of all. I have no defense against any of this weakness in my flesh. All I can do, in an attempt to limp along sideways, is to cut miserable deals with the devil, and therefore align myself under the banner of the other kingdom. But G-d! He came to give back to me the keys of His glorious Kingdom of complete power, and those keys consist of the Rock of my Salvation and His Holy Spirit. Halleluah!
What is the Kingdom of Israel? Is it a certain rocky hill? Is it a certain genetic structure? Is it a certain attainment of political identity? Who is Israel? And how is this kingdom determined? Is this not a Kingdom defined by the subjects, and are not the subjects defined by their own choices? And is the choice of obedience really possible, or is it not? Revelation seems to think that it is. On thing is for sure, obedience is not going to be possible until the disobedience has been repented and forsaken. And forgiven. And that, my friends, is something that I think we are going to have to learn how to seek together, as the replacement for disobedience, which is relationship, is the thing we should have been already doing instead anyway. So am I praying for the conviction and forgiveness of those around me, and actively pursuing the freedom of others or not; or is evangelism just a dirty word these days, and something that only the Apostles did? Do I care that others around me are in the boat with me, or do still I think that it is all just about me? Can I really learn how to think and act as a collective organism? The kingdom of Self says “NO”, but is that the kingdom I am supposed to be lining up under?
I am sorry, but I must disagree and give Him the Honor He deserves and praise and thank Him for His great sacrifice. “It is finished.” However, we live on a battlefield – until the enemies’ lies are no longer an attraction to us we battle him and he doesn’t give up easily – especially when he has had the upper hand over..possibly generations. If a particular sin holds a bloodline in captivity – trust me – it will take a great deal of fighting and repeated battles to change the (DNA) brain program to one which is free. This is NOT an easy/instant existence we live – it is a fight to the finish. A bloodline defilement CAN be changed successfully – the enemy CANNOT hold captive when THE Blood is there to give freedom. Look at the bloodline of Messiah to be sure…many changes, many points of obedience and many battles to receive that freedom. To have others around us- a community to help us fight those battles is an awesome, amazing blessing…but even then..some of us do not even have that and yet He is still faithful to come with “big time” help..as He did with Daniel. He will always be there and we will, at some point, be free of that nasty, filthy, “thing” that has stared us down again and again and shamed us and tripped us up – He not only SEES and UNDERSTANDS how hard we are battling – He is there, in the moment to give us His Help. Sometimes, like Jacob, we must stop wrestling with the words and rest in the Promise He has given and the Love that never gives up. It is finished……can you cry “Uncle”?
I guess I don’t understand what you are objecting to. Are you objecting to the fact that the personal pronoun suffix doesn’t refer to YHVH? Are you objecting to the idea that righteousness involves the restoration of creation as YHVH intended it? Are you objecting that somehow you think Yeshua’s declaration “It is finished” means that the Kingdom is now in place? Please clarify so that I might respond. Thanks.
Having dealt with my own battle of believing I am worthless and there is nothing I can do to change that (“no good, never have been, never will be”-as it was put to me) – I have a “mother bear” protective reflex for anyone who believes he is hopeless as a person or hopelessly addicted to whatever. It was critical..and a huge, lengthy battle to come to the place where I could accept that as a lie and not truth. Now that I am free and know the power of the truth for myself I see that same lie being perpetuated in lives all around me…and unless you’ve been there you don’t recognize it. (Personally…I was PERFECT in constructing a “perfect life” all around me…for 65 years…a prison like no other.) It is a lie that thrives in witchcraft, sex trafficking, drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, broken marriages….and the worse end result..suicide. I hate that lie more than any. People who are bound in it can get lost in explanations of theology and never connect to the power of the Absolute…kind of like..you can know all about the power and scientific absolutes of electricity but when you experience that shock of power-hopefully through static not an outlet : ) – you KNOW there’s a reality of power there. So many people today are FILLED with the knowledge in word power of their religion – be it the original Hebrew or New Testament Christianity- I was….I’d read most all of the scriptures for years…taught it…lived by it…for the most part….but I hated my life…it was a failure…a lying failure that didn’t deserve to continue. It culminated when I almost gave in to a sudden thought that steering my car into a cement dividing wall at a very high speed would relieve me of my misery and no one would know what I’d done on purpose. I smiled…and as I adjusted the steering wheel to carry out the plan – His Voice spoke almost audibly…”You won’t die….you will just pray from a hospital bed for the rest of your days – I need you to pray for others who are hurting.” So..okay-don’t want to be there!! If thinking their pain and struggle will never go away until eternity- handicaps anyone to lie in their chains – I’M ON IT!!! You can be completely free- you can believe and KNOW that you are an expression of God’s Love in the earth that only you can express. You are a beautiful heart – SO loved and perfectly planned by the God who created the universe….and He NEEDS YOU-not until eternity but NOW throughout eternity…you are one of a kind. If I misunderstood your intent I apologize….sorry…it’s Mama Bear and I will fight for you! The experiencing it (His Love) is worth the fight. Blessings on your day!
Marsha, Thanks for sharing your reality, both past and present… and new future. Glad you made it through the night and into the light. Gives those of us still struggling in the twilight some hope, as He works in one He can in all…at least those who are willing. I am willing, ready and He is able.
Michael, willing is all He asks – He has so much for you in the days ahead-you will hardly believe it. Yochanan recorded it well in 10. “The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in it’s fullest measure.” The “noise” on this “battlefield” of life is so distracting…I’m so grateful He never gives up and keeps on hoping we will see and understand..there is nothing on earth worth losing a minute with Him. He’s so close!
We need to be prepared, unlike the foolish virgins.