Street Cleaner
They cried for help, but there was none to save, even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind; I emptied them out as the mire of the streets. Psalm 18:41-42 NASB
Emptied them out – How long have you carried the enemies of your soul on your back? How long have you felt the cuts of their swords, reminders of your failures to defend yourself? How long has it been since you could survey the psychic landscape without concern, without anxious anticipation? Naomi went away full but in her mind she came back empty. In her mind, Ruth was of no importance. All that mattered to her was what she lost, not what she gained in a daughter-in-law full of hesed. It seems that far too often we consider what has been emptied out as deprivation or forfeiture instead of recognizing that it had to go. It was the dust of the enemy, the dross of his claims on our souls, the muck of his tracks across our hearts. David knew what it meant to empty out this refuse, but far too often we are as Naomi, longing for the things that God Himself has removed from us so that we can notice the treasures He is offering.
Perhaps we need God’s perspective on the situation. “Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth; I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets” (2 Samuel 22:43). Apparently David knew something of Samuel. Or maybe they both knew something about Moses’ reaction to the golden calf. The enemies must be ground to dust, scattered before the wind, washed out with the detritus collecting on the street. In the tenth century BCE the street collected a lot more than litter. It must all be cast away—all that dung of life before. Tossed to the wind. Washed down the gutters. It is not coming back. Unless, of course, you rush down to the sewer system to retrieve it.
Naomi took a long time to realize that her greatest gift was the presence of God in the life of the one she considered unimportant. Perhaps that’s why the story is so valuable. Ruth wasn’t right. She wasn’t from the right place, wasn’t in the right time, wasn’t from the right people. But Ruth reintroduced Naomi to the God of grace. God stamps out the mire from our lives. He washes out the sewage. He throws the ground-up grief to the wind—and asks us to look at what and who He has given so that we might reconstruct His image in us. David had to empty out a few internal enemies as well. Perhaps we do too. Even in Paleo Hebrew the image is instructive. “Person – Work – Behind,” that is, my deeds left behind. We put our past away before we see what He is doing.
You will never see the presence of the Lord of grace until you pulverize the enemies you keep in your own high places.
Topical Index: empty out, riq, Psalm 18:41-42
“If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” ANON
“To touch the cup with eager lips and taste not drain it;
To woo and tempt and court a bliss – and not attain it;
To fondle and caress a joy, yet hold it lightly,
Lest it become necessity, and cling too tightly…” ANON
Love is the ultimate gambler. Love risks it all. If you cannot throw everything in at every juncture, in fact, it is not love, and if you cannot walk away from everything that is not left, it is not faith. The ultimate trust in the Thresher is that we leave it up to Him to leave no kernel behind. If it could not stand in the winds of trial, it was chaff, no matter how dear. Only love will be left when He is done; with or without our consent. If we cling still, in the end, we will be chaff, too. Let Go And Let Him is what wheat does.
A beautiful reminder Laurita, for us to live our lives with our hands open and flat. Life with the open hand. Whether compliments, complaints or criticism, “Let go and let God..” Love at all times must be free.
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well,”
“It is well with my soul.”
I always struggled with the concept of “Love”… blamed it (as an excuse) on Asperger’s, though.
When realised that as an abstract, it must be Greek, that helped and somewhat absolved me.
However, I am not clear / comfortable with what the Hebrew understanding is.
Maybe there is help at the table?
Ruth walked out her destiny (conformed to her “calling”), followed her “spirit”; managed her “instinct” (fear of the unknown… like Abraham); and let her mind follow YHWH’s instructions.
Have you ever bit into a piece of fruit and thought to yourself, this is so good, I’ve just got to share this with someone else, and did? that’s love. To deem other’s AS important as yourself, not MORE important.
YHWH bless you and keep you…….
Thank you Robert, but I still do not understand…
Context:
[David] “pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn back till they were consumed.
I have smitten them through [impaled them], so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.
For You [YHWH] have girded me with strength unto the battle: You have subdued under me, those that rose up against me. You have also made my enemies turn their backs unto me,
and I did cut off [kill] them that hate me.
They cried [pleaded], but there was none to save –even unto YHWH, but He answered them not.
THEN did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.
Discussion:
With the power YHWH gave David, he overcame his enemies. The enemies complained / cried / pleaded to / with YHWH. When David saw that YHWH ignored them, he pulverised and excreted them.
David bit into this piece of fruit and thought to himself, this is so good! … and he shared the moment with someone else, with YHWH.
Question:
Am I missing something? Is that love?
Yes, it is. If it was only you and me, that action may be debatable, however, there’s always others involved. Was eliminating the Nazi engine love?
It’s about the Kingdom Pieter, even too the elimination of myself. That’s our calling.
Thank you for your response. I am not sure that I understand you correctly… So please bear with my questions.
– Is not eliminating the Muslim war engine love; or what is Merkel up to, reviving the old German anti-Jewish sentiment by supporting Islam?
– The Kingdom offer was rejected by the Yahudim and has that boat not passed?
– Are we not instead called to train as “Kingdom Priests” (Melkizedek order) to minister when the millenia arrives?
– Were the Samaritan neighbours not Israelites (the remnant of the Northern tribes)?
– Is my neighbour not the Set Apart; the Righteous; (even the Unclean)? But the Wicked, did Paul not warned us to shun them ?
– Can we agree that love in the Heavenly Kingdom is Hesed (lovingkindness / Mercy / Favour) and not the Greek eros or agape?
– And my original question: What is the Hebrew idea of love?
Shalom
No problem with the part about bearing with you, I’ve got all the time I’ve been given, I’ll share it as I can and as opportunity arises. The part about being understood is a different dilemma altogether, you’ve a lot of company there and I would entreat your patience as I work on clarifying my communication abilities. 🙂
That being said, we might try communicating off this blog, as the mutual responses may become quite lengthy. If you prefer that, my e-mail is pinezoo@aol.com. if not, this thread is also fine with me.
So, here’s some of my thoughts concerning your questions and comments, from the bottom up. (thoughts being the operative word)
Love (generally speaking) cannot be defined outside the concept of the establishment of God’s kingdom, no matter what the activity looks like from the outside. ie; the destruction of the tribes on the other side of the Jordan by Joshua and co. is as much an act of love as leaving the gleaning for the poor in the land. they’re both in regards too the furtherance of said kingdom. (key here, is “command” of God)
Hesed is a portion of love, in the immediate sense, and the whole pie in the deeper sense, as far as eros and agape, we’d need a book or two for that discussion. 🙂
Yes those are my neighbors, the shuned ones are qualified as professing believer’s whose actions display “contrariness” too the kingdom of purity. (Achan, impurity effects the whole community (like salvation) it’s a form of reproof, not destruction) (Remember that it’s not “the” unrighteous that God desires to destroy, but rather, unrighteousness). Those who willingly remain glued to it will suffer the consequences of those choices. (psalms 2)
Maybe, maybe not, the bigger question is why did they consider the Samaritans their enemies? That’s what Yeshua was addressing.
Yes, and we, as priests, aren’t allowed to offer strange fire. Only the approved form. (something we need to learn, it’s not about us, and our “desires”, no matter how well intentioned, are what often get us in trouble)
The boat has passed for that time, God’s plan will still be accomplished through the chosen people. (romans 9-11) meanwhile we’re grafted in and partake of God’s blessing on their dime. Yeshua didn’t address the Samaritan woman until this was affirmed by her.
As far as the muslim war engine is concerned, just remember that actions may become necessary, but that doesn’t mean they’re not costly. David crushed the enemies, but he wasn’t allowed to construct the temple.
Hope some of this helps, if it don’t, toss it out. Everything in it’s time.
To the rest of the bloggers here, my apologies for the lengthy response and I’ll move it elsewhere if able.
YHWH bless you and keep you……
robert lafoy…. that part on what is love, is very well versed, I agree! Everything we do should promote the Kingdom, in all aspects, in our attitudes and behaviours towards one and another, even in adverse situations as in wiping out those who despise life, who live in utter chaos / disrespect for others.
Lengthy but the paradigm is so clear. Love your posts!
Shalom!
You’re right, Robert. You cannot give what you don’t have, but the instant you have it is the right time to turn around and pass it on down, because that is why you have it. To see the need of the world is to see through YHVH’s eyes, but that is when you go asking for the wherewithal to meet it. In order to love is why we should seek love. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.” Order of operations.
Perhaps it’s best to let Paul speak for me,
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Ruth and Naiomi
Help me with a fuller description of my enemies.
Hmmm….
I have seen this question posed another way:
Who is my neighbor?
And Yeshua responded by making the known “enemy” (or at least, the most despised) — A SAMARITAN! — the “neighbor.”
Interesting take on the topic.
I would think that a further delineation might be in order as the context of what the Messiah was speaking too and what David is addressing may be quite distinct. David is addressing those who “rose up” against him (God’s anointed), and I would suggest that they were “enemies” by association. (enemies of God and His kingdom) David was given power over them not because he was a king, but because he was God’s king.
Just thinkin’ out loud. 🙂
YHWH bless you and keep you……..
Skip has turned the story of Noami and Ruth into such an amazing story as it should be understood in depth! “In her mind, Ruth was of no importance. All that mattered to her was what she lost, not what she gained in a daughter-in-law full of hesed.” !!!! “Perhaps that’s why the story is so valuable.” Indeed!
Noami did not see / recognise the excellent spirit /quality in Ruth, though she was a Moabite, an enemy, whom her son married.
Perhaps Ruth witnessed the difference in the lives of the family she was married into, compared to her own idolatrous ways.
Blessings, Skip.