The Great Invention
This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NASB
Has made – “Judaism presents an innovation of the first importance. For Judaism, time has a beginning and will have an end. The idea of cyclic time is left behind. Yahweh no longer manifests himself in cosmic time (like the gods of other religions) but in a historical time, which is irreversible.”[1]
Did you get that? Virtually all ancient religions that do not grow out of the monotheism of the Hebrews are cyclical, that is, they are based on the idea of repetition of cosmic origins. Rituals, symbols and theology depend on the idea that Man can enter into the original acts of the gods, and by repeating those acts, renew the world. Sacrifice is nothing more than bringing about new life from death. Orgies replay the gods’ original sexual production. Prayers repeat mystical invocations. Wherever you find this idea of cosmic return, you find repetition of original acts. The cycle comes again whether it is monthly, yearly or centuries long.
This is not the same as a memorial concerning a particular historical event. Historical events are, by definition, unique and unrepeated. Memorializing them does not recreate them. It remembers them. Passover is remembrance, not reenactment. Eliade’s insight is crucial. Hebrews invented history. It might be that patterns repeat but the events do not. The first Temple is not the second Temple, even if they are similar. The failure of Adam and Havvah is not exactly repeated in the failure of Abraham and Sarah, even if there are striking similarities. You were never here before, and what you do now will never be exactly repeated again. Your impact on the cosmos is unique and unrepeatable. Make it count!
“This is the day.” Yes, this day is the day YHVH has made, and there will never be another one just like it. YHVH conducts personal interventions in our history and our histories, and there will never be others like them either. Every day is a unique day in the history of Man. Whatever is done today can only be done on this day, and whatever is not done today cannot be done on another day just like this one. There are no other days just like this one. David suggests that we rejoice in this fact. It is not terrifying (unless you aren’t doing what should be done on this one-of-a-kind day). It is a day of celebration because this day, today, is the only day when all that YHVH has done can be experienced now. And it is the only day when all of who you are up to this very moment is a reflection of all that YHVH has done in your life now. You are the product of every absolutely unique prior day and today, this day, you can rejoice that He has made this day for you!
Topical Index: day, yom, made, ‘asa’, today, cyclical time, Psalm 118:24
[1] Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane, p. 110.
Skip, this plays into type and anti-type, which the Bible is slap full of. Anti-type is always stronger and more universal than the type, or, forshadowing, of what is to come. Yes, the patterns repeat, but the events (functions) STRENGTHEN – not repeat – every time they do.
Take the building of the Wilderness Tabernacle, which was a type of Christ. Every facet of the Tent, and every event that took place in it, was a forshadowing of His life, but His life was much more efficacious for us. The Wilderness Tabernacle (which is what we have the complete written pattern of, as opposed to the Temple, which I have noticed we do NOT) showed us the meaning of the pattern of His life. It is significant to me that He is portrayed in the New Testament as “pitching a tent” and “dwelling among us” in our wilderness wandering here, as contrasted with the Temple (which He also claimed His body was an anti-type of), which stayed in the middle of the Promised Land, and is a forshadowing of the New Jerusalem (which is also an anti-type of the first Jerusalem), which will come down out of heaven and settle in the middle of that Land, in which the redeemed (also an anti-type of His Body) will have a permanent (“mansion”) abode.
Again, the coming again of the Elijah function, in the person of John the Baptizer, is another example of type and anti-type: John being the anti-type of Elijah. If a pattern is repeated yet another time, it strengthens and broadens in scope even more. We have been promised yet one more Elijah function before the “coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord”. Unique, historical individuals, yes; but fulfilling a FUNCTIONAL pattern that repeats.
Amen, Laurita! History is His-story. It’s all about Him. Am I “guessing” about this? [In His own words] “Search the scriptures, for these are they that testify concerning Me..” (John 5.39-47) “These things have I written unto you, “that you may KNOW..!!” (1 John 5.13)
I have often wondered. Maybe it is because I have been blessed to be exposed to the Scriptures, I have read the Bible – a book certainly unlike any other – and yes, I do “see” the promised One in it’s sacred pages.
I also see this as the “master theme” in the entirety of the book God wrote:
[ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable..] — “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Yes, the written word of God reveals the Living Word of God.
So… – during the [very] week of Passover, a Lamb.. a perfect-sinless-spotless Lamb is presented as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the people!! All people, everywhere, [for ALL have sinned!]. And, as YHWH has promised, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
So much symbolism, – but far more wonderful! – So much substance!! From the foreshadowing to the fulfilling.. What once was concealed, is now revealed!!
Friends, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!!”
~ For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are ALL things! ~
Crown Him with many crowns, — The Lamb upon His throne..
[One more thing..!!] — He ever lives to make intercession for us!
This is the day… Good reference point Skip.
Did I learn from my yesterdays to be sufficient in this day. Or am I seeking approval of man whom I need none of, I must seek the approval of God. No one else my spiritual contract. My spiritual obligation.
Am I also as the Pharisees, named Nicodemus: Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. – Ye must be born again…
Unto Peter, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Ye must be grafted into the Olive tree…
Stop! Is this how I can be glad and rejoice in this day, Or, must I just be alive and living to my fullest…
Time and time and a half is God’s we are living on Hiss borrowed time for a purpose. Today is all I have to equip myself for eternal life. To know God and Yeshua whom he sent…
Stop! If we become as the anointed of God must we all claim as Paul explained, You received me as the Jesus Christ…
If I become a son and daughter of God do I become the one who controls the day as all power is given to that individual… What you ask for in My name. If you adhere to My teachings…. If this is truly the repetition of the history teachings how can it be a new creation. If it be a new creation, new opportunity, new life would this not imply all I learnt and studied and prepared for yesterday means zero today in God’s mind.
Provided I am only to rejoice in this day, as yesterday I found salvation…
Ye are the temple of God, keep it holy… Is this how rejoice in this day.
Yes. history only repeats itself if we failed to learn from it, lessons are only repeated if we did not get it the first time round. Can today repeat itself? No.
Why then if God’s creation does not repeat itself but flows forth from itself, Why are we so repetitive and predictable instead of going forth in the power which He has provided. Only reason God has not yet become my only light… Jesus Christ is not my only salvation and why of doing things.
So in what do I rejoice today… My understanding and concepts or God’s creation…
HELP I HAVE LOST MYSELF, answer Ye must be born again…
Hosea said Me and my family will serve God,
Joshua asked Choose you today who you will serve…
Yeshua answered Reap tomorrow the reward of the choice you made to serve (rejoice in) today…
Skip did you not once comment there is no get out of jail free, go direct to begin etc in this path?
Amen to Matthews 25 lessons… And choice which one we rejoice in.
Be a spokesman for YHVH that is all I read we can be…
O yes,
Cheryl can you and your family rejoice in this day?
Trust in the faithfulness of YHVH for that what you cannot do without and not that what you want, as this is His promise for those that seek His sovereign control in their life. Matt 6 Seek first the Kingdom…
It took a few days to respond because I couldn’t remember where I wrote about Psalm 118, The challenges of being a year older. Not to be too picky, but Psalm 118 seems to be speaking of the Lord’s return. “This day” is the day of His return. Indeed a day to rejoice in. Not that this diminishes Skip’s point however, it is 2 Cor 6:2 that reminds us that every day is a day of deliverance. Just a thought. I wrote a post on this back in April of 2014. Follow the link if you are interested. http://torahparanoia.blogspot.com/2014/04/which-day.html
THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PAUL
Yes, we can truly rejoice for coming thus far TODAY, being led by YHWH’s invisible hand in times past, through what we have done, what we ought to do, and what we have not done, and what we ought not do..
“Every day is a unique day in the history of Man. Whatever is done today can only be done on this day, and whatever is not done today cannot be done on another day just like this one”
We won’t want to miss out opportunity of doing something profitable, or be a blessing to someone TODAY..
And, may I add, what is done TODAY cannot be undone but will ever be remembered, counted, or give account for.
Happy 68th Independence Day, Yisrael!