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Sirach 3:18-19* –
18 The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself;
so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.
19 Many are lofty and renowned, but to the humble he reveals his secrets.
* V. 19 does not appear in all manuscripts but is included in some
Luke 14:11, 13-14 – 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! If you did not get last week’s email, I apologize for the inconvenience. I’m still getting “bounce-backs” from MicroSoft stating “We noticed some unusual activity on your account.” I’m resorting to sending only the first line or so of the post in the emailed version in the hope that the decreased density will not trigger that response. In addition, the Todd Team is still recuperating from a bout with COVID-19 this past week, so my “powers are somewhat under a cloud” as Mark Twain once quipped.
I want to begin this one with one of the Bible Character stories I promised but failed to deliver. This one fits into today’s theme. We can take a look at why Joshua never conquered the Philistines. Who were they anyway, and why did they never get wiped out like other nations in Canaan? The very basis of that story comes down to a single word very often associated with Israel: disobedience. God charged Israel to completely destroy the nations of Canaan and all their religious shrines, altars, sacred poles and sacred groves, and all the idols they worshipped. Israel was ordered to utterly destroy all those nations and not to leave alive anything that breathes (See Deuteronomy 20:16). They failed to do that. Instead, they took wives from the women left as survivors. They began using the idols and evil practices of the nations which were to be utterly destroyed. They ultimately made an idol of the Ark of the Covenant, worshiping the Ark itself instead of the One, True God who ruled them there. The Ark was captured by the Philistines when Hophni and Phineas, the sons of the High Priest at Shiloh – Eli – who was also among the Judges (military leaders) of Israel, committed grave sins in the Temple and in their duties as Levites. When they were killed in battle, Eli fell over backwards in his chair and broke his neck and died. They all got their abrupt and final reward because of the evil they committed or allowed.
Because of Israel’s disobedience, God left the Philistines and several other nations in Canaan to “be a thorn in the side of the Israelites.” God also decreed that these nations, and the Philistines in particular, would be a source of training in battle and war tactics for the younger generation which had not fought through the taking of the Promised Land. God removed those enemies from the Promise, again because of Israel’s own disobedience, evil, and decadence. What was promised in Covenant as victory became repeated ignominious defeat as punishment for breaking and blatantly dishonoring God by abandoning their obligations in the Covenant. In this God shows that he gives what he promises. Obedience brings blessing and prosperity. Disobedience brings calamity. In harmony with today’s topic, they got theirs – they got what they asked for not so much with their words but absolutely by there actions. Their direct and persistent disobedience became the recurring downfall of the nation over millennia. Israel’s failure to fully trust in God led to their fear of other nations which had mastered the fabrication of iron chariots which Israel could not withstand. Instead of relying on God to fight for them, they wimped out and compromised with their enemies.
One might wonder if today Israel is obeying God, and whether or not there is still any covenant to be obeyed. They certainly have enough enemies in this current day, and those enemies are in the same geographical regions at centuries upon centuries ago. Many of the names from those eras are with us today: Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza. Modern statements about the region point out that today’s Palestinians are not descendants of the Philistines. The Philistines were conquered, divided, deported to Babylon, Egypt, and Assyria. The ethnic identity of “Philistine” disappeared by the 5th century BC. They got theirs because of their continued dedication to grotesquely evil religious practices and were ultimately conquered by Nebuchadnezzar II. We might phrase it in today’s jargon as “they thought they were too big to fail,” but God did not find that attitude acceptable, and so they failed completely.
Belovéd, when we behave like we are too big to fail, do we not also get chaos and disruption to be ours? Conversely, and most importantly, when we live a life of humble service to God and neighbor, we see clearly how our lives are blessed. Too many of us live as if we have only our knowledge of “the Historical Jesus,” when we ought to know – and live in the reality of it – that Jesus is alive, the Lord of all the living, “the Firstfruits of those who have died.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:20) In our Key Verses from Sirach, there is clearly stated Wisdom that is the key to unlock the richness of Providence in our lives. God always gives everyone all Good Gifts. No one is exempt from God’s blessings except those who refuse to accept them. How do we refuse to accept God’s Gifts? What can we do that turns a Bundle of Blessings into a heap of pain? That happens when we forget. (There it is again, that propensity to disregard what we’ve been taught is Right). We forget that God does not change. He said so himself in Malachi 3:5-6 – 5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
6 For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, have not perished.
Today we do not have Prophets like Malachi who address us saying “Thus says the Lord, your God!” But we have many people – as God himself decreed – who speak from within God’s voice. Not often do we hear, “Thus says the Lord God,” but we do often hear things like, “God is expecting us to understand that …” These modern-day prophets speak out to us about the same things the Apostle Paul warned about: Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers – every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy, vaunted pride, murder, strife, deceit, all forms of sexual dysfunctionality and abnormal practices including same-sex fornication, prostitution, and even bestiality; witchcraft, astrology, faithless and untrustworthy, practicing craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters who are insolent, haughty, gluttonous, boastful, inventors of evil, filled with foul language, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die – yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them. (See Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 5) To that list we must shamefully add murders of millions of innocents – babies, elders, political enemies, ethnic pogroms, and intentional destruction and failure of stewardship for our only home, Earth.
Adelphos, we all know without even a second’s thought that these are evil acts and intentions, that these are evil times, and that evil people are in every strata and vertical stay of everything. There is nothing any person can say or do that cannot be mocked or even destroyed, and there are few things that any person can do or say that have permanence in our interactions with others – including with our God. We state, and believe we are truthful, that we Love God with our total being, and we Love our neighbors as ourselves. We work hard, we profess, to be “in the world but not of the world,” but still break the Sabbath at Wal-Mart or A&W, or Micky D’s. We go 7 mph over the speed limit because we believe the police won’t stop us for speeding, then we go even faster when we’re certain there are no police around. We “slip” and use God’s name to curse someone, or don’t disclose we received more change back than we should have when we pay for lunch. Now, I harp on this one a lot because it is so common: We skip church because the Packers are playing (or whatever sport and team is an idol for us). Friends, neighbors, even our own children live lives of fornication “shacking up” and just boyfriend-girlfriend couples who also go ahead and produce children outside the blessings of Holy Matrimony. And “same-sex ‘marriages’” have become an acceptable model for the modern family.
Yes, I agree, most of these are things over which we have little or no control, but they are also things that are displeasing to God and a violation of his Law. We can at least “Lift up our drooping hands” (See Hebrews 12:12-17 to look for “repentance” right away!) and SPEAK OUT against these evils. Remember, we have often noted that “The Ten Commandments” is not a list of suggestions from which we can pick and choose. It is One Law, and infractions of any kind against any part of that One Law is an infraction against the Whole Law, and an affront to God. Therefore, we can thank God that he is known by his Perfect Integrity, Endless Mercy, Everlasting Love, And Eternal Salvation. Our lives would be unlivable without those beatitudes surrounding us. Wherever God’s commands are blatantly transgressed in personal exaltation, everyone – everyone – falls under judgement. But for The Believer, a different reality arises.
For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Those who senselessly violate God’s One Law – and all the requirements that go with it – exalt their prowess in the World and basically dare God to cut them down. What they do not believe and cannot admit is Jesus’ promise for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. We’re back to YOLO-F again here, because along with the Resurrection of the righteous there will also be the Resurrection of the unrighteous.” Let’s look back again to the conquest of Canaan. God gave the Kingdoms of Canaan 400 years to repent before he brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, specifically the Amorites, because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” On the occasion of the Covenant with Abram, God said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” (See Genesis 15:18-21) Now, what sort of sins would take 400 years to repent? Much of the above list: Incest, adultery, idolatry, worship of and consorting with demons, ritual prostitution, child sacrifice by burning alive in worship of Molech, homosexual acts, divination, sorcery, violence against other nations including refusal to allow Israel to enter the land and attacking them instead.
Remember the Psalmist wrote Your decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them (See Psalm 119:129-130) – unless I foolishly try to characterize God as a liar, as The Apostle John told us. If it is the Light that makes moving forward safely in every circumstance, then why not walk in the light? (↔ Music Link) Jesus certainly knows where we are, where we’re going, and does everything he can to make sure we arrive at the Place he has prepared for us. Every single soul who has ever walked the Earth has full access to the saving Grace of Salvation. Untold numbers ignore that, oppose that, or – worse – are indifferent to that. The result is that they themselves vote themselves out of the Family of God. They vote with their feet by walking away from the Light. God will, and does, allow us to be stupid, disobedient, and rebellious while patiently waiting for us to wake up and do the right thing. He also wants us to speak up when we see the wrong thing, despite what ha-Satan, the Accuser, throws at us.
The thing is, there are endless, and I mean endless, opportunities to “settle with your accuser” (i.e., kick Satan in the butt ) before that last moment of Earthly life. After that moment, there are no do-overs. What’s done is done, and what we’ve won, we’ve won. God gives us the biggest and best opportunities to get it right and make a final smart move when he calls us by name, points to his son and says, “This is Jesus.” (↔ Music Link) Of course, Belovéd, we have that opportunity to see Jesus “every moment of every day“. (↔ Music Link) We also know that at any moment we can leave this Earth. Are we ready today, right now, for that irrevocable outcome at the end of our lives which is based on all our choices? Our making sure each of us is indeed fully and righteously prepared for that moment is the smartest move of all. How do we know? Try this: John 14:23 – 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Loving Jesus is a really smart move.
Remember, we are held accountable when the people we should have warned die unrepentant. A great example of a bad example is the Wisest Man in the World, Solomon. God allowed Solomon to keep on defying him in the hope that – like his father, David – he would repent. Every time Solomon took in another princess from another forbidden country or another concubine from another forbidden family, he was apparently thinking he was making another smart move to preserve his wealth, honor, and security. Actually it was just the opposite. He only impoverished himself and his people, he lost all honor from God and men, and enemies sprouted up all around and within Israel. Time was running out for Solomon to repent. There is no word in Scripture that he ever got to that stage. He may have died unrepentant, and that was definitely not another smart move. He took his chances and he got his reward. We’ll get ours, too, and that is all the more reason to speak out against what we know is wrong and to defend and to respect what is Right. Solomon failed at that. DON’T BE LIKE SOLOMON. To those four marvelous attributes of God I listed again earlier in this post, we can also add “Immutable Justice,” because it is an inexorable attribute of his Divinely Absolute Nature. In all things at all times in all ways and places, God’s Immutable Justice metes out whatever we ask of him by our obedience, or lack thereof, including his Mercy or his Retribution. Many are lofty and renowned, but to the humble he reveals his secrets. The Secret of Mercy is Obedience, and the secret of Obedience is Love. Yep. Love of God and neighbor is the secret we must know when getting ours – a Blesséd life for all of our YOLO-F.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
