Desert Scribblings

November 16, 2008 - Twenty-Seventh Sunday After Pentecost

Judges 4:1-7 - link to the NRSV text

Just as the wilderness narratives had a pattern of crisis-grumbling-providence-deliverance, the book of Judges often follows a pattern of its own: apostasy-oppression-cry for salvation-God raises up a judge.  And as the story goes on, the times of faithfulness seem to shorten while the periods of apostasy seem to lengthen.  The tribes continue this pattern and it gets progressively worse until the end of the book, when the tribes turn on each other and the land descends into civil war (cf. Judges 19-21).

This pattern begins to play out for this generation here in Judges 4:1: "The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD," followed by the description of the oppression by Jabin of Canaan and his right-hand man Sisera and is said to have lasted twenty years.  So the Israelites cry out to God, and then we are introduced to Deborah.

Deborah is described as both prophetess and judge, much like Samuel would function as both prophet and judge later in Israel's history.  Functioning as the judge of Israel, Deborah summons Barak from Kedesh of the tribe of Naphtali and gives him some military instructions.

That is where the lection for the day ends, but to really get into it the rest of the story probably needs to be referenced.  In the verse 8, Barak argues that he will go only if Deborah goes as well.  This could very possibly be a editorial insertion to downplay female authority, for verse 7 seems to suggest that she would be leading a seperate force to lure Sisera into Barak's ambush.

This weakening of female power is emphasized by Deborah's assertation that because he asked this, then instead of him receiving the glory for victory it would be given to a woman (at this point, we would presume Deborah).  Battle ensues, with Sisera's troop trounced and Sisera himself fleeing only to find himself on the wrong end of Jael's tent peg (cf. 4:17-24).

The preacher could emphasize God using people the world would normally consider less-than-ideal (Deborah as judge, Jael as the one who defeats Sisera).  And that is a powerful story and one that needs to be heard.

But alternatively, in this day and time, someone could focus less on Deborah and Barak as the instruments of deliverance, but on Israel's apostasy and the pattern of neglect-trouble-need for deliverance.  Think about our financial crisis here in the states and globally.  Think about the rising demand for energy that will most likely occur in the decades to come.  

How are we contributing to these problems through "ungodly" living?  That is, living in ways that are not in harmony with God, with each other, and with the rest of creation?  What are we as people of faith doing or failing to do in order to point the world towards more harmonious life?  How have we "done evil in the eyes of the LORD" through how we use our money, time, and resources that have contributed to the economic situation?

Yet with that comes the word of comfort, that even when we do turn away and God turns us over to the consequences of our actions, God is there when we call and offers us new beginnings.  So the follow up question to "How have we done what is evil in the eyes of God?" is: "So how is God at work in the midst of these circumstances, and how can I be a part of that work like Deborah and Barak?"

Shalom,

Geoff

November 9, 2008 - Twenty-Sixth Sunday After Pentecost

Joshua 1-3a, 14-25

This Sunday is the last of the semi-continuous readings from the Hexateuch (the first sixth books of the Bible) and the next to last semi-continuous reading from the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible in Year A this liturgical year as Christ the King falls on November 23.

In this week's text, Joshua has finished allotting the various lands to their respective tribes; the Israelites are now the ruling power.  The LORD has delivered them from Egypt with a mighty hand and fulfilled the promise of long ago, the promise of a land that is their own.  Now Joshua, like Moses before him, begins to prepare the people for life without him.

"Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem" (Joshua 24:1).  Joshua has some important things to say to them, words of reminder and warning.

First, the reminder.  Again, much like Moses in Deuteronomy, Joshua reminds the people of God's work in the past: "Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many" (Joshua 24:3a).

But Joshua knows this people; he knows how fickle they are, how quick they are to despair and to turn away from the God of their salvation, and even though those fears will soon be played out and will be played out again and again in Israel's and Judah's history, still Joshua tries to impress upon them the need for them to not forget the reminder and thus exhorts them to make a choice.

Because Joshua recognizes a simple truth, one summed up well by Bob Dylan: "You're gonna have to serve somebody."

You will either serve the LORD God on your own interests, in this case represented by "other gods."  Other gods would have been attractive, I admit; they often promised good harvests, fertility, prosperity, favorable weather, etc.  All the comforts of ancient life, things to make a hard life easier if only you make the appropriate sacrifices and do the right rituals.  Service to these gods demanded comparatively little over and against the demands of the God of Israel.

The God of Israel demanded much more than just proper worship and ritual, but demanded justice within the community, concern for the poor, widow, and orphan, concern for the stranger, alongside proper religious practice.  As Amos would later put it (in a reading which is the OT reading for today in some alternate lectionaries):

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.  Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon.  Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:21-24).

Joshua knows that this God demands more of God's people.  "Choose this day who you will serve," Joshua says.  'Cause you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Some of us in the wake of the election are ecstatic and hopeful for the future, others are intensely uncertain and afraid of what an America under President Obama will look like.  Still, President-Elect Obama will be our President, and my prayers are with him, his family, and his administration just as they would have been with Senator McCain if he had won.

But I have made a choice of who I serve, and while I support the new President-Elect because he will be our leader, my ultimate allegiance is not to him or his party.  "But for me and my house," Joshua says, "we will serve the LORD."  No matter your party allegiance or who you voted for, if you call yourself a disciple of Jesus, you have a commitment and loyalty and servitude higher than any elected official.

I am a citizen of the United States of America, but I have a higher citizenship, one that trumps all other loyalties and oaths and promises, and that is to the kingdom of God that Jesus came to proclaim. 

My prayer for President-Elect Obama and for all our elected officials is that God's wisdom may be with them, will guide them, and that they be discerning, compassionate, and strong leaders.  But at the end of the day, I choose a higher, and in many ways harder, calling to serve not worldly interests alone like economic policy or national security or any number of important issues.  Instead, I serve a living God who demands justice, mercy and righteousness first and foremost.  As for me and mine, we will strive to serve the LORD.

Hopefully, our country will as well.

Shalom,
Geoff