Fifty Ways To Leave
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of YHWH Jonah 1:3
From – Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezer notices that there is a difference between flight from the Lord due to fear (mi-penei) and flight due to breaking the relationship (mi-lifnei). In some cases, the Bible describes running from the face of YHWH because YHWH strikes terror in the hearts of men. But that is not the case with Jonah. Jonah flees mi-lifnei, “from before the face.” You can see a similar use in Genesis 4:16. Jonah doesn’t run because he’s afraid. He runs because He doesn’t want to obey. In Hebrew, not all prepositions are the same even if they are translated with the same word. The Hebrew language notices the difference. So should we.
Have you fled from the face of the Lord because you were afraid of His majesty, power and mystery? Abraham Heschel calls this “awe.” Unless you have had this experience, you really haven’t been close to His presence. This is down on your face, shuddering and trembling worship. Few of us set aside our preoccupations with life long enough to draw into this circle. When we do, we are bathed in the “dread of Isaac” and the fire and smoke of Mt. Sinai. This is where we come face to face with our finitude and our unholiness. This is truly terrifying. Peter, James and John knew this when they finally understood the incident at the Transfiguration. Isaiah knew this when he saw the Lord in His temple. But most of us crowd our lives with our own agendas – and we do all we can to avoid the unraveling trepidation that comes from His unbearable light. We flee. It’s quite alright that we flee. To stay is to die.
Of course, Yeshua has opened a way for us to stay in the presence of El Shaddai. We are welcomed. We are encouraged. We will not die. Even so, it takes a strong spiritual awareness to resist running.
As a result, most of us flee for the same reason Jonah fled. We run in order to avoid obedience. We might not get on the ship but we have plenty of other ways to leave the Lover of our souls. We have a litany of excuses. We have “theological” arguments. We have denominational differences. We have other things to do. Behind all these perfectly rational marathon events is our unwillingness to offer ourselves as His servants. We would rather be masters of our own destiny. So, we board a fast plane to the other side of the world. We take a vacation from God. All that pressure to be obedient requires a little R&R, we say. “I have to think this over.”
The Hebrew word for immediate obedience is hineni. “Here I am,” says that man or women who knows what it means to run because of mi-penei. “Here I am” says, “Yes, Lord, I really am scared to death, but I trust You. I will stay. What do You want me to do?” The difference between mi-lifnei and mi-penei is the difference between three days and nights in the tomb of the ocean’s depths and the tomb with the stone rolled away. Death surrounds both, but only one knows resurrection.
Topical Index: from before, mi-penei, mi-lifnei, Abraham ibn Ezer, Jonah 3:1
NOTICE – E Mail Update: My two email addresses at Embarqmail.com are no longer active. Please don’t send me email at that address. thanks.
We share a common LORD. We all feast at His table and delight in His words. There are things that all followers of the Way hold dear and sacred. We share this “life together.”
I have been a partaker of this “trembling” in His presence. I have had this life experience. I remember it well and it left its mark on my life. I call it my “Isaiah” experience.
This article today brother Skip is so refreshing and comforting to me. We must “come out” and share with each other what YHWH has done and is doing in our lives. “Together” we come before His presence with singing and enter His courts with praise. We are one in the bond of (His) love.
Christ (the Messiah) died for all and He died for each. Today, when we pray, we pray to the very same G-d of Abraham, Moses and David. There is ONE G-d. (one faith, one baptism..) The LORD our G-d is ONE.
Our G-d is a G-d of tremendous diversity. (A trip to the zoo will settle that question and maybe a visit to a Baskin Robbins ice cream store afterward!). But He also is a G-d of unity. (Shalom). G-d was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.
Consider this: “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5.19)
“Reconciliation.” A holy G-d inviting us (adam) through the blood of His cross to be “reconciled” with Him and with each other. A “bringing together” of all things to Himself through the cross.
I am convinced (just me speaking) -G-d’s favorite number is “one.” He is a G-d of tremendous diversity (Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Skip, Carl) but He is a G-d of wondrous unity, wholeness, and peace-shalom. Through Christ and in Christ- we are one! “A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity/harmony/shalom! (Psalm 133.1) – Brought to you by -our Sponsor- the LORD Jesus (who is) the Christ, the Son of the Living G-d and G-d, the (now living,very present, and very near) Son.
“Blessed” is the man… -If “any man” is “in Christ.” and “whosoever will” may come. How marvelous, how wonderful -and “my song” shall ever be: how marvelous! how wonderful! is my Savior’s love for me.
Whoa!!! fearsome! challenging!! confronting!! thanks Skip
Skip, I have to tell you about last night.
I’ve been volunteering with Prison Fellowship for over a year working in assisting in a group meeting in Idaho’s medium security prison. Last night I started my own study at ICC which is the privately operated prison in Idaho with about 1,500 prisoners.
I am calling the study “Jesus in Genesis” which is the title of a book by Michael Esses. We’re not using the book itself.
This was my first time in this facility other than the orientation so I really didn’t know if anyone would show up last night but they did. I lost count at 31 guys. We even ran out of chairs.
I mention this because last night was just an informal chat as I asked them why they had come and what interested them about Genesis.
I made sure that we spent some time talking about the Ezer concept you introduced me to through your MP3’s. The concept was new to all of them, but as I spoke I asked them this question: “How many of you have had the experience of wishing, in retrospect, you had listened to the cautions of your wife?”
Just about every man raised their hand and as they did spontaneous conversation happened as guys told about how their life would have been different if they had done that. One of the men who spoke was pretty old and sickly. It is sad to meet old sickly men in prison who are obviously serving life or near life sentences for crimes committed when they were younger. After he had listened to me talk about the Ezer concept he said that his life reflected the truth of that every minute of every day. I took that to mean he thought he might not be in prison if he had listened to his Ezer.
I mentioned your name to the men and when we actually get to that part of Genesis I’ll talk more about you and your ministry. For obvious reasons none of the inmates are allowed internet access so they can’t download your MP3’s or receive the daily emails. But, I want you to know that I will using your Ezer teaching and other things I’ve picked up from you in this class. I’m considering taking your MP3 in and using it for the Ezer teaching but I’m concerned I might lose their concentration. Hopefully when some of them get their liberty back they’ll check you out for themselves.
I thought you might like to know that what God does through you is finding it’s way into a prison in Idaho. This prison is pretty unique. It houses everything from low-security convicts to having a maximum security section and everything in between. The max guys cannot attend the study but who knows what message could find it’s way even to that dark place.
Thanks. This is a great story of you never know where God is going.
“flight from the Lord due to fear (mi-penei) and flight due to breaking the relationship (mi-lifnei).”
Hi Skip,
Although I know both forms of flight fairly well, I lived in mi-penei most of my life and have only gotten better in the last year or so.
“Losing” my family, job, and friends at work over the last two years was very scary, but definitely made me and my relationship to God stronger.
At the same time, every now and then I get a glimpse of God and feel that awesome twinge of fear 🙂
On the bright side, another great Hebrew Word Study; makes me think of Moby Dick, Simon and Garfunkel, and errant email.
“But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of YHWH Jonah 1:3”
Jonah 1:3 is obviously an important “subtext” in Moby Dick; in fact, Chapter 9 takes the form of a sermon on Jonah’s experience.
For me, reading MD has an affect not unlike that of the Scriptures.
“The ribs and terrors in the whale, Arched over me a dismal gloom, While all God’s sun-lit waves rolled by, And lift me deepening down to doom.
I saw the opening maw of hell, With endless pains and sorrows there; Which none but they that feel can tell- Oh, I was plunging to despair.
In black distress, I called my God, When I could scarce believe him mine, He bowed his ear to my complaints- No more the whale did me confine.
With speed he flew to my relief, As on a radiant dolphin borne; Awful, yet bright, as lightning shone The face of my Deliverer God.
My song for ever shall record That terrible, that joyful hour; I give the glory to my God, His all the mercy and the power.”
http://www.americanliterature.com/Melville/MobyDickorTheWhale/10.html