Picking A Winner
. . . So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendents. Deuteronomy 30:19
Choose – The Hebrew verb bahar means “to choose, to pick, to take a keen look at.” But the pictograph is more revealing. Bet-Chet-Resh draws the picture of “house-fence-person.” In other words, separating the person from the household, dividing one person from the rest of the family. Perhaps we should recall Joshua’s words, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Separation is the essence of choice. To choose life is to separate from all those pathways that lead to death. To become obedient to Torah is to separate ourselves from the rest of the family of Man. Choice requires distinction.
This is particularly important when we realize that “the opposite of freedom is not determinism, but hardness of heart.”[1] Of course, this pair of antonyms is based in the biblical Hebraic view of the world, not in the Greek paradigm. In the Greek paradigm, freedom is opposed to determinism and most arguments that presuppose the Greek paradigm wrestle with the logical consequences of these two polar opposites. But the Bible does not look at the world with Greek spectacles. In the Bible, choice is about moral perspective. Therefore, freedom is choosing to obey while its opposite is not choosing to obey. Both sides of the equation are choices! The hardening of the heart is the calcification of freedom, a situation where freedom evaporates as sin expands. This is why the discussion of the idea of God “hardening the heart” is often misrepresented as a problem with divine determinism rather than the ossification of freedom by choice.
Choice is absolutely fundamental to every part of the Biblical worldview. God chooses. Man chooses. The interplay of these two agents is the story of the Bible. Any attempt to diminish the free choice of either agent diminishes the entire picture. The reason that men are called to repent and recover is simply because they have the choice to do so. Divine choice implies that judgment is conditional, never absolute. The world is not cast in stone from the beginning. The actions of men affect the choices of God and vise versa. We are partners in the unfolding drama of history; partners not sole proprietors. Every day is an opportunity to reshape the fabric of the universe because every day provides the substance of yet-unrealized choices. And choices matter – eternally!
Moses implored the people to make a choice. It was not a ploy, a pseudo-suggestion of supposed freedom. Deciding to follow YHWH and His ways led to life. Deciding not to follow led to death. And yet some chose the path to death. Some refused to believe, that is, to place their confidence in the trustworthiness of YHWH’s words. They exercised their freedom to attach themselves to the world’s paradigm – and its consequent loss of freedom through moral attrition. But we have choice today, don’t we? We can assert our confidence in YHWH and do what He asks. We can live.
Topical Index: choose, bahar, separate, pick, look at, choice, Deuteronomy 30:19
[1] Abraham Heschel, The Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 191.
Fantastic article. Thanks so much, Skip.
We have been down this path before..- hundreds, even thousands of times. Daily, hourly, moment by moment we choose and every choice we make is followed by a consequence. We are totally free in the choices we make and this is good. This is wonderful and this is a glorious privilege to be able to have choices. If we unable to choose, then we are not free. But every choice is followed by a consequence. Seen, or unseen, short-term or long term, macro or micro- every choice is followed by a consequence. Does this need to be illustrated or is this agreed upon? Every choice is followed by a consequence. Good choices result in good consequences, etc.. Our ability to choose “that which is good” is the gift of G-d.
We all have within us the G-d-given ability to recognize and respond to the (true-albeit hidden/sub rosa) worth or value (kavod-weight-glory) of something or Someone. Because we have been made in the likeness of the One who has created and fashioned us, we inherently know “this is good” or “this is better.” We are able to choose “what is good,” and this is the gift of G-d.
If every choice is followed by a consequence (good or bad), what are the consequences of obedience? and what are the consequences of disobedience? (know in some circles as “sin”). What are the consequences of sin? (-not pretty).
We may be rescued (and we do need deliverance) by our own choosing. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” [Joshua 24:15]
Can you see it? Choose you. (that’s me and you). We have been presented with a choice. Choose you “this day.” This day is today. “this is the day which the LORD has made”- a day called “today” and a time referred to as “now.” -Do we “remember”- every choice is followed by a consequence? What are the consequences of serving the LORD? “Serve the LORD with gladness, come before His presence with singing”- what are the consequences/fruits of such behavior? Would this be a good choice for us to make, this very day? What prevents us from choosing this? -Nothing but a hard-heart.
Romans 6,7 and 8 is our “Emancipation Proclamation.” Everybody will serve somebody. It is written into the fabric of the universe. -and every “choice” is followed by a consequence.
Maybe Bob Dylan can help us to see this– “You Gotta Serve Somebody.”
You may be an ambassador to England or France,
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance,
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world,
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You might be a rock ‘n’ roll addict prancing on the stage,
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage,
You may be a business man or some high degree thief,
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk,
You may be the head of some big TV network,
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame,
You may be living in another country under another name
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be a construction worker working on a home,
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome,
You might own guns and you might even own tanks,
You might be somebody’s landlord, you might even own banks
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side,
You may be workin’ in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk,
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk,
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy,
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy,
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray,
You may call me anything but no matter what you say
You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
-“Choose you this day whom you will serve”- but as for me and my house- we will serve the LORD.”
“We are totally free in the choices we make and this is good.”
Hi Carl
Interesting words – “totally free.” What do they mean?
There’s an interesting piece of history in Isa. 7 and how Isaiah was told to go meet Achaz and let him know that there was a coup d’etat planned. Isaiah’s message?
“This is what Adonai ELOHIM says:
‘It won’t occur, it won’t happen.'” (v.7)
This would indicate Aram, Efrayim et al could choose as much as they liked. It was not about to happen. In other words, man’s choices were not about to circumvent God’s choices (plans).
Adonai ELOHIM’s “free choices” put limits to man’s “free choices.” Can we really say our choices are “totally free”?
Maybe Bob Dylan can help us to see this– “You Gotta Serve Somebody.”
Hi Carl,
I don’t recall you quoting Bob Dylan before, but love your choice of songs!
Gotta Serve Somebody came out in 1979, my last year in grad school.
My advisor had secured a Fullbright for me to teach American Lit in Barcelona.
But, at the last minute, the guy who had the job decided not to leave (couldn’t blame him).
So I started out 1980 cooking the midnight shift at Howard Johnsons in Sausalito Ca.
And serving the local hookers coffee at the counter into the wee hours of the night 🙂
I was reading today’s word and rolling along fine until I came to “The actions of men affect the choices of God and vise versa”, and got stuck. I understand that our actions can bring consequences that God did not intend or desire for us. But you used the word “choices”, which to me sort of implied that God is changing (in reaction to my choice). I don’t think that’s what you’re saying, but would appreciate it if you could clarify for me what you mean in that phrase. Thanks Skip.
ps: Awesome pic of the Sydney Opera House ! God’s given you an eye for the setting and timing for the photographs you take!
Here’s the very short answer to your inquiry. By any reading of the Hebrew text, God does change His actions based on human decisions. The examples are too numerous to catalog here but perhaps one paradigm case will do. Did God make a choice to remove Adam and Havvah from the Garden? The text says, “Yes.” As a result of Adam’s sin, God chose to remove them. Are we going to continue to suggest that God knew in advance that Adam and Havvah would sin and so He intended to kick them out all along? That has some very ugly implications for the peshat reading of the text and for the culpability of YHWH.
Here’s the long answer. My book, God, Time and the Limits of Omniscience will be out very soon. It explores in depth the whole issue and shows that the current theological understanding of God’s relationship to time – and the implications for God knowing in advance – is based in the Greek metaphysics of Parmenides, not in the Hebrew text. You might want to order a copy.
“That has some very ugly implications for the peshat reading of the text and for the culpability of YHWH. ”
Hi Skip,
Do we then live in a world of “brute contingency”, to coin a phrase from Francis Schaeffer?
“We are totally free in the choices we make and this is good.”
Hi, Ian.. thank you for your inquiry and I would love to explain this. Love itself is a choice. If we had no choice at all, it would not be love, but rather servitude and slavery. Love, is a choice. Refusing all others, I choose her and she (amazingly) chooses me. Of all the fish in the sea, and of all of the flowers of the field, I choose this one and she in turn has chosen me. Love is leaving this, and cleaving to that. Love is refusing this and choosing that. Love is a choice.
Even in our loving G-d we have a choice. No one is forcing us to love G-d (or for that matter to love one another), this is the beauty of the Christian faith. We willingly, voluntarily, gladly, freely “lay down” our lives for the sake of another. We give ourselves away (just as YHWH gave Himself away to us). We love and serve G-d by loving and serving “one another.” All voluntary. Nothing is forced. Forced love is not love at all, but something abhorrent. Forced love is the religion of the anti-Christ. Y’shua never forces Himself on anyone. Remember- “behold I stand at the door and knock?” Well- who is standing at the door? and why is He knocking?,- I ask. What are you doing outside and why do you not come in? You already own the place!- and yet He knocks, waiting (amazingly) for our permission. This is how love works. Permission. We (amazingly) must allow or “let” G-d have His own way in our lives. He will not force Himself upon us. He is (ever) able, but we must ever be the willing ones.
I remember singing (as a youth)-
If you are tired of the load of your sin,
Let Jesus come into your heart;
If you desire a new life to begin,
Let Jesus come into your heart.
Just now, your doubtings give o’er;
Just now, reject Him no more;
Just now, throw open the door;
Let Jesus come into your heart.
If it’s for purity now that you sigh,
Let Jesus come into your heart;
Fountains for cleansing are flowing nearby,
Let Jesus come into your heart.
If there’s a tempest your voice cannot still,
Let Jesus come into your heart;
If there’s a void this world never can fill,
Let Jesus come into your heart.
If you would join the glad songs of the blest,
Let Jesus come into your heart;
If you would enter the mansions of rest,
Let Jesus come into your heart.
“Let Jesus”. Allow G-d. It is our choice. He waits to bless us. He waits (patiently) to enter. The perfect marriage is Mr. Able and Miss Willing, and dear brother G-d is able when we are willing. This is the union of two houses- the human and the Divine. He has issued the invitation,- “Come unto me” and we must answer Him- “you have my Yes, LORD.” Do you not find it amazing, G-d waits for our permission? I certainly do. I’m bumfuddled by it. Listen again to these words- “let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus”- “let (allow) this mind.. Allow/ permit. Here it is again. Permission. We must “allow” the mind of Christ. We may choose our thoughts, just as we choose our friends.- Isn’t this wonderful? We may say “no” to this, and “yes” (or amen as we have learned) to whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, -things of excellence and things worthy of praise, -we “may” dwell on these things. We have His permission (and authority) to do so!
So much choosing and so much refusing- but this is how it works. We may choose the good and refuse the evil, and this dear brother is “good!” This ability to choose is the gift of G-d. Refusing and choosing- leaving and cleaving- we have been invited by our King, to a banquet feast. Say good-bye to this, and hello to this, – I (willingly, freely, gladly) choose Him. Why do I choose Him? lol!!- Have you read His book? Have you seen this Man? -Who is the LORD that I should obey Him? -Who is this King of glory?
“Enter in.” We have His permission. He is waiting for ours. “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” “Come unto me” is His eternal invitation. Words issued by none other than the King of kings and LORD of lords. Why would we refuse such an offer? – What are the qualifications? “Whosoever will may come”. – That would be me. Whoever is willing. This is what I want. I want to go to Him. I want to draw near to G-d. I want to be near to the Source of all life. Near to my Creator. Near to my Savior. Near to my Kinsman-Redeemer, Comforter, Counselor, King and Friend. But I must be willing to make the choice- and the choice is mine to make- will I choose? or will I refuse?..-Love is a choice. Choose you- this day- who you will serve/abad (Carl). -As for me (and my house) we will (intentionally, voluntarily) serve/abad the LORD. -He is (exceedingly) worthy. He is the Christ, the Son of the living G-d, and He is G-d the now living Son.