ethoughts weekly- Issue 163

May 27, 2007

God in a tiny tent and other surprises . . .

I thought after I attended my first week of graduate class I’d have a lot to write about for ethoughts weekly. I do. I’m taking a course entitled The Pentateuch and Joshua, and I’m learning a lot about the culture of ancient times, and Yahweh of the Hebrews, who is, as it turns out, the same God I worship.

I’m going to be honest with you and say, God is really weird. He does and says things you don’t expect, which are recorded in Scripture. Even Paris Hilton may get to find this out! I read a headline that she bought a Bible. Actually, they called her an "heir-head" which seemed not very nice, but sort of semi-clever and very silly, and I did chuckle, and yes, that might have been wrong, sorry Paris. I just wonder, did Paris really buy a Bible, or did she just take one out of a hotel room? I love Gideons. Before Monday I have to memorize that Gideon (the guy from the Bible,) asked for a sign in Jazreel, and I have to be able to find it on a map, along with 39 other places, and things that happened there. . . But I digress.

This week I learned pagan gods had temples constructed for them selves that could stretch up to a half a mile in length. Their followers (priests and such) would pretend dress, feed, comb, bathe, and care for them, (in many ways). Pagan people had to give 10% of all they earned to their king, 10% to the neighboring power protecting them, and 10% to their deity. By stark contrast, Yahweh said something like, “Make me a tent for temple, fairly similar to the tents you live in, (about three car lengths, by one car length,) dress yourselves like royalty, not me; oh, and I only need 10% total, not 30%. I’ll be your Protector, your God and your King, and I’ll return your 10% in abundant blessings many times over.”

It was such a good deal. They came up with a Treaty and everything. The Hebrews vanquished their enemies when they didn’t betray their God King. According to the Scriptural records, They enjoyed peace and prosperity, and enormous blessing when they treated them selves, others, and their God with respect. It was a very strange set up to have a written treaty with God, but that is exactly what this ancient people group had. It had stipulations, conditions, agreements, roles, provisions, regulations, not unlike other treaties of the time. The major difference was that one side was people group and the other side was of course, a Spirit, Almighty God. I think it did make some other countries snicker too, at first. Certain treaty provisions, laws, and practices were utterly unheard of in that culture too, for the time.

For an example, one law in the Treaty forbade the rape of women specifically during warfare, (other laws forbade it for any other time, of course). This might sound like an obvious and important law to us, but normally, part of the windfall of victory for a conquering army was to brutalize, harm, and victimize the subjugated town. It was completely normal to rape the women in a defeated town. Everybody did it. Sure, it’s disgusting, but culturally speaking this was entirely common. When the Israelites conquered a town, their laws forbade this. They were held to the highest standard. It was a novel idea. This difference in behavior must have seemed so completely odd to non-Hebrews. The list of weird things goes on and on.

So, I am learning that God is weird, in a good way. Surprising. Over and over there are provisions in the Treaty with his people to protect the poor, weak, and innocent. It is of great concern to God. It’s not ordinary, it’s supernatural, staying focused on this. We get a little “Darwin” out there. And so only the strong survive. I think the heart of God is to protect. Maybe it’s to protect us from ourselves sometimes; and for sure, it’s to protect us from hurting each other. But, most of all, it seems, we are to protect those who cannot protect themselves. How are we doing at this?

Just a little overflow from school. I'm sure there will be more to come.

Have a great week, and remember just how blessed you are!

Lisa DeLay

©2007