Standing on Holy Ground

NLT Exodus 3:1-6

  “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. ⁶ I am the God of your father^[c]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

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Why is this ponderable?

It happened circa 1514 BCE--not millions of years ago. The burning bush got Moses’ attention so that a Higher Power could speak with him privately up on mount Sinai [Coordinates: 28°32′23″N 33°58′24″E]. This location is, in itself, ponderable. Mount Sinai or Mount Moses is located on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is the traditional site where Moses received the Covenant from God. At 2285 meters in height, it takes about 3 hours to climb the 7,498-foot peak following the Path of Moses, a stairway of nearly 4,000 steps. There, Moses received instructions about returning to Egypt to meet with Pharaoh to release the enslaved people. The burning bush effect was just that, a special effect performed by an angel of God. The bush was not actually burning. It was only meant to look like it was so that Moses would know it was a very unusual event that he must check out. It was not unusual for lightning to set a thorn-bush ablaze and jeopardize his sheep. But in this case it was unusual as the bush was not being consumed by the rapid oxidation. Also, an angel was calling Moses name from the bush’s center.. 

So we should ponder what it was about this particular site that made it "holy ground" and why was Moses instructed to remove his sandals here. Keep in mind that Moses heard the voice of God without seeing who or what was speaking to him.

The Bible says Moses made two sojourns here to receive God's instructions, spending 40 days on the mountain each time, Moses met with God again sometime after the burning bush incident, but before he went to free the children of Israel from Egypt. This time, Moses  asks God "Show me your glory." God responds that He cannot be seen by any human being. But, advises Moses, "Stand in the cleft of the rock" and "you will see My back, but my face must not be seen." This proclamation is also ponderable, but that will be covered in another discussion. For now, we are pondering the holy ground where all of this takes place.

At the start of the exodus, Moses brought the people out of the camp to witness God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. It was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. To the readers in ancient times, this scene must have had a magical nuance. To us in the 21st Century it sounds very familiar, It sounds like a rocket landing or taking off. But that would still be speculation and does not answer why this was deemed "holy ground" nor why bare feet were necessary for this encounter. Although our pondering has provided a few clues to the mystery, it is still unresolved.

 

The mystery goes beyond this burning bush incident. Moses was not the only human being to see God. According to ancient Jewish tradition, the first one occurs in 2 Enoch 22 which portrays Enoch's encounter with the Lord in the celestial realm. Enoch recounts: "I saw the view of the face of the Lord, like iron made burning hot in a fire and brought out, and it emits sparks and is incandescent. Thus even I saw the face of the Lord." But there were also earlier incidents in which God was heard but not seen. God spoke with Adam and Eve in Eden (Gen 3:9–19); with Cain (Gen 4:9–15); with Noah (Gen 6:13, Gen 7:1, Gen 8:15) and his sons (Gen 9:1-8); and with Abraham and his wife Sarah (Gen 18). He also appears twice to Hagar, the slave-girl who has Abraham's first child, Ishmael (Gen 16).

There’s no way to know exactly when Moses encountered the burning bush, it was however just before Moses and his brother Aaron approached Pharaoh to release Moses’ people. We know that it was not any of the Ramses, as some speculate, as they were not in power during the 1500s BCE (which was the Eighteenth Dynasty for Egypt). The 3 Pharaohs it could have been were Nebpehtire Ahmose I, Djeserkare Amenhotep I, Aakheperkare Thutmose I, or some combination of all 3 of them.

The Truth Will Set You Free

NLT John 8:31-32 

 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

 Why is this passage ponderable?

This is one of those passages that is easy to pass over without much thought. John is quoting Jesus who is the icon of truth. So if Jesus said it; it must be true. What's to ponder?

The ponderable issue here is that Jesus goes beyond assuring us that only Truth flows from his lips. Any Believer accepts that without question. But Jesus takes it a bit further by assuring us that knowing the Truth will set us free.  Even Believers might give pause at that assertion. It raises many questions that John does not ask nor does Jesus answer in this passage. 

From what will this Truth set us free? Free from eternal damnation? Free from those who oppress us? Free from financial worries? Free from guilt? Free from health problems? Free from depression? Free from our enemies? 

We might also ponder a more optimistic view of this promise. Perhaps Jesus means it will set us free to be ourselves? Free to ponder such questions without fear of being shunned or excommunicated? Free to give over our will and our lives to God as we understand God.

It has been said that "the language of God is silence." However, that doesn't mean that God does not communicate with us. It means that God can bypass our ears and go directly to our mind and heart. Sometimes, this happens in dreams,  sometimes through meditation, and often through basic mindfulness.  

Ever experience trying to solve a problem with little success, only to notice a roadside sign that provides a gateway to the solution? That is how God frequently communicates in silence. But we don't hear or feel the communication because we are not paying attention.

The Wooden Asherah Pole

NIV  Deuteronomy 16:21 

Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God.

Drawings on Pithos A from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud, late ninth–early eighth century BCE

Why is this ponderable?

Whether we know him as Yahweh, Allah or God, the people of the great Abrahamic religions, are agreed: There is only one of Him. So, how do we account for the wooden Asherah pole or tree traditionally placed next to alters dedicated to Yahweh by the Jews that settled in the ancient Canaanite city of Ugarit. Ancient texts, amulets and figurines unearthed primarily in the ancient city indicate that Asherah was worshiped as a powerful fertility goddess right along with Yahweh.  

Asherah's connection to Yahweh, is spelled out in both the Bible and an 8th-century B.C. inscription on pottery found in the Sinai desert at a site called Kuntillet Ajrud.

The inscription is a petition for a blessing. Crucially, the inscription asks for a blessing from 'Yahweh and his Asherah.' In those times, Yahweh and Asherah were viewed as a divine pair. 

Why do most passages in the Hebrew Bible seem to refer to an object rather than a deity?

In the ancient Near East it was common for deities to be represented by objects (i.e., a cult symbol). These objects were a physical manifestation of the deity and enabled the people to worship the deity in effigy. Asherah’s cult symbol was a living tree or a consecrated wooden pole.

The vast majority of references to Asherah in the Hebrew Bible are found in the Deuteronomistic History (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings), and one of the most important themes in these books is the rejection of other gods. One way the author(s) of the Deuteronomistic History could demean Asherah is by referring to her cult symbol rather than her name, thereby transforming her from a goddess to an object that could be discarded.

In the Deuteronomistic History, kings were often evaluated by how they responded to Asherah worship, which was apparently widespread among the Israelites. Evil kings, such as Jeroboam and Rehoboam, fostered Asherah worship (1Kgs 14:15, 1Kgs 14:23), and Ahab and Jezebel officially endorsed and promoted her cult (1Kgs 18:19). Yet, good kings, such as Asa, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah (also Gideon the judge) attempted to eradicate Asherah worship (e.g., Judg 6:25-30, 1Kgs 15:13, 2Kgs 21:7). Despite these efforts, Israelites remained devoted to Asherah (Isa 27:9, Jer 17:1, Mic 5:14), which indicates that the beliefs expressed in the Deuteronomistic History are not the ones that governed popular practice.

 

 

Not Peace, but a Sword

 

  NLT Matthew 10:34

 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword

Photo by Gioele Fazzeri on Unsplash

Why is this ponderable?

I came, not to bring peace, but a sword. By the "sword" may be meant the Gospel, which is the means of dividing and separating the people of Christ from the men of the world, and from their principles and practices. Over time, the belief in the Gospel will pit family members against each other. It will be the cause of divisions, discords, and persecutions. That clearly was not the intention and design of Christ. He did not come into the world to foment and encourage such things. Instead, it was the malice and wickedness of men who rejected him and his Gospel. If, as the apostles wished, he had blunted out all the malice and wickedness in the world, that would have also negated free will and each soul's choice to choose its own destiny. 

In this respect, God dispenses both Justice and Mercy in the same fiat. The Mercy comes in the form of a way out of the hell that malice and wickedness have created on earth. The Justice comes in the form of the hell on earth these people have created for themselves. Both souls have a place waiting for them when they part from the earth. The followers will find themselves in the abode Jesus has prepared for them, where they will dwell in peace and love forever. Those who rejected Jesus will find themselves in an abode not too different from their fate on the earth. They will share everlasting darkness, malice, and resentment against each other with no way out.

We, Though Many, Are One Body

ESV Romans 12: 4-8

 For as in one body we have many members,^[e] and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,^[f] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Why is this ponderable?

It almost seems like Paul had a vision of the World Wide Web in this message. Although he relates this corporal unity to Christ's body, he is describing the Global Village emerging in the 21st Century.

Sheep Dogs

 

NLV Job 30:1-2

But now those who are younger than I make fun of me. I thought so little of their fathers that I did not want them with my sheep dogs.

Why is this ponderable?

 In the art of the Middle Ages dogs are presented as the symbols of fidelity and protection. Also, the Bible says that all our sins can be healed after we confess them, which is represented by a dog who is licking our wounds in order to cure them.

The Dog spirit animal is a powerful symbol of unconditional love, loyalty, and protection. To understand what they symbolize, we must look into dogs in art history. The dog symbolism in art is related to safeguarding, devotion, fidelity, and strong faith.

Everyone loves dogs—don’t they? Dogs—or celeb in Hebrew—are humanity’s best friends. We welcome them into our homes, we walk them, feed them, clean up after them and excuse their bad behavior. But in ancient Israel, people had an entirely different view of dogs.

Of the more than 400 breeds of dogs around today, all came from the same ancestor—ancient wolves. Dogs were first domesticated perhaps as far back as 12,000 years ago. Because dogs are the only animals with the ability to bark, they became useful for hunting and herding. Dogs in the Bible were used for these purposes (Isaiah 56:11; Job 30:1).

There is evidence in the Bible that physical violence toward dogs was considered acceptable (1 Samuel 17:43; Proverbs 26:17). To compare a human to a dog or to call them a dog was to imply that they were of very low status (2 Kings 8:13; Exodus 22:31; Deuteronomy 23:18; 2 Samuel 3:8; Proverbs 26:11; Ecclesiastes 9:4; 2 Samuel 9:8; 1 Samuel 24:14). In the New Testament, calling a human a dog meant that the person was considered evil (Philemon 3:2; Revelation 22:15).

Everyone loves dogs—don’t they? Dogs—or celeb in Hebrew—are humanity’s best friends. We welcome them into our homes, we walk them, feed them, clean up after them and excuse their bad behavior. But in ancient Israel, people had an entirely different view of dogs.

Of the more than 400 breeds of dogs around today, all came from the same ancestor—ancient wolves. Dogs were first domesticated perhaps as far back as 12,000 years ago. Because dogs are the only animals with the ability to bark, they became useful for hunting and herding. Dogs in the Bible were used for these purposes (Isaiah 56:11; Job 30:1).

There is evidence in the Bible that physical violence toward dogs was considered acceptable (1 Samuel 17:43; Proverbs 26:17). To compare a human to a dog or to call them a dog was to imply that they were of very low status (2 Kings 8:13; Exodus 22:31; Deuteronomy 23:18; 2 Samuel 3:8; Proverbs 26:11; Ecclesiastes 9:4; 2 Samuel 9:8; 1 Samuel 24:14). In the New Testament, calling a human a dog meant that the person was considered evil (Philemon 3:2; Revelation 22:15).

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Some scholars hypothesize that the negative feelings expressed in the ancient Near East toward dogs was because in those days, dogs often ran wild and usually in packs. Dogs in the Bible exhibited predatory behavior in their quest for survival, which included the eating of dead bodies (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19, 23-24; 22:38; 2 Kings 9:10, 36; 1 Kings 21:23).

There is archaeological evidence, such as figurines, pictures and even collars, that demonstrates that Israel’s neighbors kept dogs as pets, but from the skeletal remains found within the Levant, the domestication of dogs did not happen until the Persian and Hellenistic periods within Israel.

The word for dog in Hebrew is celeb, from which the name Caleb derives. Due to the negative attribution of dogs for the ancient Israelites, it is surprising that one of the great Hebrew spies bears this name. As the Israelites were preparing to enter the land of Canaan, Moses called a chieftain from each tribe to go before them and scout the land. Caleb was the representative of the tribe of Judah. When these spies returned, they reported that the land surpassed expectation but that the people who live there would be mighty foes. The Israelites did not want to go and face the peoples of Canaan, but Caleb stepped forward and urged them to proceed. After more exhortation from Moses, Aaron and Joshua, the people relented. Caleb was rewarded for his faith: Joshua gave him Hebron as an inheritance (Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:14).

 

 

 

 

They Shall Inherit the Earth

 

NIV Matthew 5:5 

 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

 

 

NIV Isaiah 29:19-21

Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down—those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court  and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.

Why is this ponderable?

When we hear the word inheritance today we think about riches from the estates of billionaires. So, taken out of context, it is easy to imagine ourselves possessing the symbols of wealth. But, that is not what Jesus or Isaiah had in mind when they proclaimed this message. 

Photo by Nate Johnston on Unsplash

 

 When we look at the earth as it is, we see humanity immersed in disease, anger, greed, violence, and abject poverty. From this perspective, any meek and humble person would not want this inheritance--especially if this were to be an eternal abode. So let's read between the lines and discern what both Jesus and Isaiah have in mind. 

Remember that most proclamations from Jesus are based on Old Testament scripture. In this case, it is based on the vision of a "new earth" presented by Isaiah. On this new earth,
the ruthless will be gone, the mockers will be gone, and all who have an eye for evil will be purged. The innocent will have justice and peace. It will be heaven on earth; quite suitable for an eternal abode. 

But, hold on!  Why is this new life limited to the meek and humble? Why won't it be available to the proud and boisterous?  

To understand the meaning of this beatitude, we need to place it in the context of the other seven beatitudes.

• Blessed are the poor in spirit,  
• Blessed are those who mourn,  
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,   
• Blessed are the merciful,  
• Blessed are the pure in heart,  
• Blessed are the peacemakers,
• Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness

 Now, imagine a world in which every living person exhibited these qualities and none of those that tend to make our life a hell on earth. That is the vision that Jesus holds out for those who believe in him.