Category: Inspiration

HOME

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, Inspiration, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Exodus opens beneath a banner of despair. A pharaoh comes to power who has no memory of Joseph. He enslaves the sons of Jacob. He issues a decree of death for the sons of the Hebrews. The children of Israel, at home in a strange land, became enslaved strangers in a strange land, exiles in the only home they knew.

The power of the exodus narrative is its relatability. While often not an exact parallel experiences to the exodus generation, the feeling of being a stranger, even a sense of homelessness, is certainly relatable.

I need not recount all of the details of the journey from the beginning of the book of Exodus to this, the final, portion called פְקוּדֵי/Pekudei, meaning to attend to, to care for, even to look after. The portion opens: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle” (Ex. 38:21). It seems a rather bland end of this magnificent book, and an even more miraculous project. Yet, in the details we find the beauty.

In Genesis 50:25, Joseph says to his family, וַיַּשְׁבַּע יוֹסֵף אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, “God will certainly, פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, attend to you …” Joseph is saying, “When God surely attends to you, you will not forget me and leave me here.” “Just as the Lord will attend to, care for, and look after you,” Joseph is saying, “you look after me.” In this opening to a dry accounting, we find the same word used by Joseph about the care of the Lord, as both פְקוּדֵי/Pekudei and פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, share the same root. Joseph wanted to go home, and he knew that the covenant Lord would bring them home.

As we know the bones of Joseph were carried out by Moses (Ex. 13:19), and probably remained in his care during the wilderness years. Even in death, Joseph would experience home, the longing of his heart. But how?

As the Book of Exodus concludes in chapter 40, the children of Israel had been invited to take part in the building of a home, an earthly מִשְׁכָּן/mishkan/tabernacle for the Lord “to dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8). The “accounting” that opens this portion speaks to the completion of home. The Lord attended to, cared for, and looked after each detail of the pattern (Ex. 25:9), and then, once Moses and the artisans complete their work, “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Ex. 40:35).

His approval and seal on this communal project was His indwelling presence: the Lord filled the house, and it becomes a home.

Dear reader, in faith, do you know that the Lord has attended to, cared for, and looked after every detail of your life (Ro. 8:28); and having accounted for it all, He has knit you together (Col. 2:2) into a home for the Holy Spirit with the Body of Messiah (1 Cor. 3:16)? He has done so according to express image of Messiah (Eph. 4:13). The seal of His approval again follows His pattern in Scripture, as the Holy Spirit dwells in you, and as Paul writes, you “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, cf. 14).

Here, among and with the disciples of Messiah, just as the Lord made a home for Himself and Israel in the midst of the wilderness camp, those who were “far off” and those who “were near” (Eph. 2:17) have now found home away from their heavenly home. Yes, we have not yet reached the place prepared for us; however, we are not strangers in a strange land, as we are home among “the out called of God.” I counsel so many people who have a sense of drift, not experiencing home for one reason or another, but the message of Pekukei is that He has called you to help make a home for the countless others who feel homeless, lost, set-adrift in life. Perhaps you feel that I am exaggerating? Consider the words of the apostle Paul in closing:

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).

He is attending to, caring for, and looking after you in every way, and He is doing so in concert with the Body of Messiah all around you.

When you are strangers no more, you are home.

Be well. Shalom.

Who Can Hear a Whisper Anymore?

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

Elijah hid, fearful and distraught, in a cave. The battle of Ba’al was behind him, as was a vengeful queen. As Elijah hid, the Lord produced loud, awesome, cataclysmic displays, but He was not in them (1 Kgs. 19:9-12).

The “god” Ba’al was associated with thunders, lightenings, earthquakes: natural phenomena. This was the silence that stumped the priests of Ba’al. They cried out, but there was silence. In the silence they found only despair. They cried more, they cut deeper, but still nothingness stood in contrast to their noise.

The Lord purposely displayed His power in nature, but then He showed His power in presence. As He said to Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kgs. 19:13). The Lord asked this question before the thunders, lightenings and earthquakes, and after, but in the קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה, the “voice/sound of sheer silence” He spoke to Elijah’s heart.

The same sheer silence that stood in contrast to the loud voicings of the priests of Ba’al, now speaks to His prophet Elijah. In hearing His voice, the voice of comfort and presence, Elijah returns to the mission.

Noise. We live in a noisy generation. From the noise of civilization, to the noise in our pocket. We believed that technological advancement would provide the opportunity for a quality of life unknown to previous generations, and in a way yes, but who has time for quality of life when the noise of ba’al reigns supreme?

Who can hear a whisper anymore?

It always amazes me when the sound of “worship” music stops, and the silence takes over. There, like Elijah, we find ourselves hearing the voice of sheer silence. The holy hush as it is called. Without fail you will hear people catch their breath in that moment, when the noise gives way to silence, and the presence of the Living God is palpable.

Now, Scripture does say to make a joyful noise – a sound breaking the silence- unto the Lord (Ps. 98:4; 100:1), but we mustn’t forget the power of silence in an age saturated with noise.

Who can hear a whisper anymore?

What are the ba’alim (gods) ever present in your life that invades the quiet where the Lord will meet with you? Notifications, beep and boops, rings and tweets, all remind us of something out there, somewhere that is desperate for our attention. But, how often is the Lord in those notifications, or the deeps, boops and tweets? Can we still hear the sacred in the midst of the profanity?

Who can hear a whisper anymore?

Those who dare to let the gods of this age take a backseat to the presence of the Living God. Friends, this is not a rebuke of our technically enabled lives, but a reminder that when the noise stops, the Lord will be there to speak into the silence, and redirect your life from the cave of fear, to a life of victorious meaning in Him.

Messiah Yeshua/Jesus taught us, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).

Be well. Shalom.

Come Together

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

The Torah portion of Vayakhel, “and he assembled,” begins:

וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה אֶת־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָם

“And Moses gather together all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, “These are the words that the Lord has commanded, that you do them.”

Moses, in the midst of the assembling of the components of the Tabernacle, קָהַל, calls together the assembly of Israel. Why?

Simple: TOGETHER.

The people of Israel, the individuals of the covenant community, were busy. Can you relate to busy? Scurrying about making, connecting, realizing the vision Moses revealed to them beginning in Exodus 25. They were on a mission.

Yet here, Moses “calls together,” in the same way that ἐκκλησία/ekklēsia (called out ones) is used in the Apostolic Scriptures, the people: “come here, together.”

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of this industrious camp, Moses assembles them and slows them down. He begins: “These are the words that the Lord has commanded, that you do them.” Hasn’t he already said these words time and again? One way or another, yes. Yet, he then turns to a completely new subject concerning what God has commanded:

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קֹדֶשׁ שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן לַיהוָה

“Six days work is done, but the seventh day will be holy, a sabbath of rest unto the Lord.”

Busy. We are busy, running hither and yon, busy about our business, even that which may be called, holy work. Moses says, we are to do what the Lord has commanded, but we must also rest, an act of holy temporal worship resting our bodies. When we are consumed and distracted with “busy,” rest becomes a revelation.

Shabbat, or sabbath, is a break in time when we cease from doing, and experience life, family and community as the gift from the Lord that it is. The spiritual brakes applied, we rest, even from the holy labor of constructing the Tabernacle, in order to be His tabernacle, not alone but together.

Obviously, the command for Shabbat/Sabbath is not a new command in Exodus 35:2. It is, rather, a reminder. Even in the busyness of life, as important as the work is, we must pause, hear the call of our shepherd, and come together.

Sabbath, as revealed in Scripture, reminds us that even in our absence from the assembly that we are still part of the family. Our people, whether near or far, as still gathering, praying, singing, rejoicing, and fellowshipping together. This thought stayed the feeling of homesickness when on the mission field in different places in the world. Even alone, I was part of a together community connected by the Spirit of God.

As I walked across the empty, quiet parking lot at our congregational building this past Shabbat, the holy praise, testimonies, and joyous fellowship was still vivid in my mind. A building full of saints, young and old, stepping out of the busy flow of life to share the precious commodity of time. Even those not present, were present, as His Spirit is not limited by space, place or time. The silence was a sharp contrast to the sound present only moments before; yet both the sound of human presence and absence is necessary, as one anticipates the other.

In the Gospels, we find scenes of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus sitting at the mount to teach, seating the masses to receive food, sitting with His disciples to sing, dip, and recline. Yeshua knew that He was heading toward the holiest work of redemption, but as He made His way there over the weeks, months and years, He still stopped, rested and enjoyed the company of those He loved, even those He challenged. He even went off to the quiet, lonely places to pray.

Dear reader, you may think you have been caught up in the busyness of life for too long to answer the call of the shepherd to assembly, nevertheless, He is still calling. You are still welcome, and there remains a place that He has set just for you. The command of Shabbat in Exodus 35:2 is that invitation in the midst of the busy assembly, it is the shepherds call to you and me to assemble with those we love, and those who challenge us. It is a call to the presence of the Living God Himself.

Be well. Shalom.