Lately, I find myself astonished as I read the Old Testament. I'm seeing it in a completely different light.
The Bible mini-series left me longing to re-read all the stories I grew up with:
Adam and Eve
Daniel and the Lion's Den
David and Goliath
Noah's Ark
Abraham and Issac
The Fiery Furnace
And so many more...
I want to read it to verify what was truth from the actual Bible and what the writers of the mini-series added/took away. I want to read the stories again, this time from the perspective of the prodigal that has finally come home.
So, I have been using YouVersion and listening to the reading plan "Eat This Book" on my way to work in the mornings. It starts in Genesis and I have to say that I am shocked over most of what I have heard. I could write a blog post on each story that left me thinking, "What? They did what?!?"
Today I listened to the story of Jacob and Rachel (and, as Rich Mullins once sang, "Leah was just there for dramatic effect"). Yesterday, I listened to Jacob and Esau. And I realized something I hadn't really known before. I knew that Jacob tricked Esau. I remember most of the story. But I didn't realize just how crafty he was, thanks to advice from his mother, Rebecca. There was a very well-thought out plan to ensure that Jacob received Esau's blessing/inheritance. It was sneaky and apparently so convincing that Issac believed that Jacob really was Esau.
I found myself wondering if Issac really believed that Jacob was Esau, or if he just played along for some unknown reason. Though, I have to say that it seems clear that while he doubted initially, Isaac was finally convinced that Jacob really was Esau. He gives Jacob the blessing, and when Esau comes in later, Isaac's hands are tied. Esau practically begs Issac to give him some sort of blessing. Issac contrives a blessing for Esau, even though what was rightly Esau's had already been given to Jacob.
And what I really found interesting, not to mention somewhat amusing, was that Jacob gets himself entangled with people who continually trick him. Issac didn't want Jacob to marry the foreigners in their country, so he sends him to his uncle Laban. It is there that he is promised Laban's daughter, Rachel, and then tricked into marrying Leah, and required to work for Laban for seven years. When Laban finally gives Rachel to Jacob, he is tricked AGAIN into working seven more years. After that, when Jacob wants to leave, Laban finds another way to keep Jacob.
Something to consider about Rachel:
I think she was the world's first drama queen.
Check this out:
Genesis 30:1 - "When Rachel saw that she wasn't having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!"
In spite of all of this, Jacob figures out a way to break free from Laban and finally leaves. The story goes on, Laban gives chase, God tells Laban to leave Jacob alone, and Jacob finally goes home. So, it all came full circle. Jacob tricked Issac, and then he reaped what he had sowed. AND THEN SOME! I do not think that it was mere coincidence. I believe that this dishonest spirit in Jacob yielded consequences. Jacob was rewarded in kind.
All in all, I find myself astounded and thinking, "No wonder so many people don't believe that The Bible is truth." I believe the Bible. I was raised with the stories, and in my old age, I have not turned from it. I still remember. And I believe.
But I have recently been trying to put myself in the shoes of non-believers. I listen to the stories with a new perspective. And I wonder how on earth one can use the most well-known stories of The Bible to encourage non-believers to believe in the God in that book. I've been raised with the stories and I have a hard time understanding the truth in them.
I just believe.
And certainly there will be non-believers that can hear the stories, leading up to the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ that simply believe. But, there was some crazy stuff that was recorded in the Bible. It was insane, really. No wonder Jesus' own disciples had trouble truly believing that he was going to die, even after he had told them repeatedly.
And so, I find myself unsure of the right answer here. Except that I now have an understanding that people's hearts will be won to Christ when I myself live and act as Christ did. As I build relationships and live out God's word each day. I become more and more convinced that it really is all about loving people, flaws and all. Not that the Bible isn't important. It is. But in this crazy, messed up world, I am no less a sinner than anyone else. You all know I've done my share of running from God's unrelenting love. We are all the same in God's eyes. Sinners, but His children nonetheless.
There really isn't much else to my musings. These are just some random thought that have been going through my head over the last couple of weeks.
What "story" in the Bible do you find the most difficult to believe?
Which do you think is better: good ol' fashioned "Bible thumping" or building relationships and loving people? Somewhere in between?
The Bible mini-series left me longing to re-read all the stories I grew up with:
Adam and Eve
Daniel and the Lion's Den
David and Goliath
Noah's Ark
Abraham and Issac
The Fiery Furnace
And so many more...
I want to read it to verify what was truth from the actual Bible and what the writers of the mini-series added/took away. I want to read the stories again, this time from the perspective of the prodigal that has finally come home.
So, I have been using YouVersion and listening to the reading plan "Eat This Book" on my way to work in the mornings. It starts in Genesis and I have to say that I am shocked over most of what I have heard. I could write a blog post on each story that left me thinking, "What? They did what?!?"
Today I listened to the story of Jacob and Rachel (and, as Rich Mullins once sang, "Leah was just there for dramatic effect"). Yesterday, I listened to Jacob and Esau. And I realized something I hadn't really known before. I knew that Jacob tricked Esau. I remember most of the story. But I didn't realize just how crafty he was, thanks to advice from his mother, Rebecca. There was a very well-thought out plan to ensure that Jacob received Esau's blessing/inheritance. It was sneaky and apparently so convincing that Issac believed that Jacob really was Esau.
I found myself wondering if Issac really believed that Jacob was Esau, or if he just played along for some unknown reason. Though, I have to say that it seems clear that while he doubted initially, Isaac was finally convinced that Jacob really was Esau. He gives Jacob the blessing, and when Esau comes in later, Isaac's hands are tied. Esau practically begs Issac to give him some sort of blessing. Issac contrives a blessing for Esau, even though what was rightly Esau's had already been given to Jacob.
And what I really found interesting, not to mention somewhat amusing, was that Jacob gets himself entangled with people who continually trick him. Issac didn't want Jacob to marry the foreigners in their country, so he sends him to his uncle Laban. It is there that he is promised Laban's daughter, Rachel, and then tricked into marrying Leah, and required to work for Laban for seven years. When Laban finally gives Rachel to Jacob, he is tricked AGAIN into working seven more years. After that, when Jacob wants to leave, Laban finds another way to keep Jacob.
Something to consider about Rachel:
I think she was the world's first drama queen.
Check this out:
Genesis 30:1 - "When Rachel saw that she wasn't having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!"
In spite of all of this, Jacob figures out a way to break free from Laban and finally leaves. The story goes on, Laban gives chase, God tells Laban to leave Jacob alone, and Jacob finally goes home. So, it all came full circle. Jacob tricked Issac, and then he reaped what he had sowed. AND THEN SOME! I do not think that it was mere coincidence. I believe that this dishonest spirit in Jacob yielded consequences. Jacob was rewarded in kind.
All in all, I find myself astounded and thinking, "No wonder so many people don't believe that The Bible is truth." I believe the Bible. I was raised with the stories, and in my old age, I have not turned from it. I still remember. And I believe.
But I have recently been trying to put myself in the shoes of non-believers. I listen to the stories with a new perspective. And I wonder how on earth one can use the most well-known stories of The Bible to encourage non-believers to believe in the God in that book. I've been raised with the stories and I have a hard time understanding the truth in them.
I just believe.
And certainly there will be non-believers that can hear the stories, leading up to the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ that simply believe. But, there was some crazy stuff that was recorded in the Bible. It was insane, really. No wonder Jesus' own disciples had trouble truly believing that he was going to die, even after he had told them repeatedly.
And so, I find myself unsure of the right answer here. Except that I now have an understanding that people's hearts will be won to Christ when I myself live and act as Christ did. As I build relationships and live out God's word each day. I become more and more convinced that it really is all about loving people, flaws and all. Not that the Bible isn't important. It is. But in this crazy, messed up world, I am no less a sinner than anyone else. You all know I've done my share of running from God's unrelenting love. We are all the same in God's eyes. Sinners, but His children nonetheless.
There really isn't much else to my musings. These are just some random thought that have been going through my head over the last couple of weeks.
What "story" in the Bible do you find the most difficult to believe?
Which do you think is better: good ol' fashioned "Bible thumping" or building relationships and loving people? Somewhere in between?
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