G-d is One

At the beginning of my last post I mentioned that there were two themes that were expressed over and over in the area of the servant song chapters. The first is that when the servant is spoken of it is always in reference to Israel. The second theme is that there is only one G-d and this is what I am going to address today.

Like many in the Christian world, I grew up with the idea of the trinity. The triune G-d of the Father , the son , and the holy ghost. Like many others before me, it also didn't make a lot of sense to me. Three parts of G-d separate and distinct yet somehow one all at the same time.

I once tried to explain it like this: I am a father, husband and a Marine. Three different parts of me but still one person. I came to learn however that this analogy doesn't work. Being a Marine I was obligated to do things that separated me from my family. I couldn't be a dad or a husband, I had to focus on being a Marine. If I was acting in the role of husband, I wasn't acting as a Marine or the daddy. In other words I couldn't do all three at once.

Now some might argue that G-d can do all this, be all things at once, if He wishes, and indeed, He could, however there is a problem with that idea. Lets look at Exodus 20:3-5 “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them.

Given this train of thought, if G-d “created” ( however you care to look at that idea) a son ,to be worshiped, then He in effect broke one of His own laws by making an image of Himself or a likeness there of. So if G-d does not lie, as we have read in Numbers 23, then He wouldn't have created an image of Himself to be Himself on earth and He couldn't have honestly punished Israel for doing the very same thing. A sort of “do as I say not as I do” mentality in other words.

So why would G-d be that particular with the children of Israel ? First G-d is not a man (see Numbers 23:19) He is spirit, but He also knew that the nations around them,especially where they were heading, worshiped that which was created rather then the creator. They themselves created a golden calf as a god while waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain. He knew what was in them.

G-d is One

Deuteronomy 6:4 This is probably the one verse that anyone with any connection to Judaism can recite. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” NKJV

The JPV says “ the Lord alone” meaning “the only one.”

By the time we get to the time of Isaiah the children of Israel had rejected G-d so many times and so deeply that they were starting the punishment that they had been warned about before the death of Moses in the later chapters of Deuteronomy. Yet even then G-d was trying to reach them and tell them that He alone is G-d.

Isaiah 42:8-9 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not yield My glory to another,nor my renown to idols. See the things predicted have come, And now I foretell new things, Announce to you ere they sprout up.”

Isaiah 43:3 “For I the Lord am your G-d, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Verse 10 “ Before Me

no god was formed, And after Me none shall exist.

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus said the Lord, the King of Israel, Their Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts; I am the first and I am the last, And there is no god but Me.” Verse 8 “ Do not be frightened , do not be shaken! Have I not from of old predicted to you? I foretold and you are my witnesses. Is there any god then but Me? There is no other rock; I know none.

Isaiah 45:5-6 “I am the Lord and there is none else; there is none else. Beside Me there is no god. I engird you, though you have not known Me, So that they may know, from east to west, That there is none but Me. I am the Lord and there is none else.

Israel was punished for a number of things but the worst of them was idolatry.

In my own humble view based on what I have shared with you, and other parts I have studied, there is only one G-d, and He is not divided up into separate pieces, He is alone and is unique. He is G-d of us all.

Shalom

The Servant Song

Today I am going to enter into the section of Isaiah that has been called by some “The servant song.” It is a section where two, very clear messages are relayed. The first is that Israel is the suffering servant mentioned in Isa. 53, and that G-d Himself makes very clear that He alone is G-d and there are no others.

I will start with the “suffering servant” first because so many Christians believe that this is talking about Jesus when in fact, read in context with verses and chapters that come before, it becomes quite clear that it is speaking of Israel.

Most people in the Christian world are only ever taught about chapter 53. They are told that it bears similarities of the things that allegedly happened to Jesus and that this is absolute proof that he is the messiah. Nope.

Let us go to Isaiah 41 which actually starts the “servant song” portion. Verses 8-9.

“But you Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, Seed of Abraham My friend- You whom I drew from the ends of the earth And called from it's far corners, To whom I said: You are my servant; I chose you I have not rejected you.”

First thing I have to say is that it's quite obvious who the servant is because G-d says it quite plainly, throughout this section. There is nothing hidden, G-d speaks quite plainly. He calls His servant, Jacob, Abraham, Israel and Jeshurun, which I understand to be a nick name of sorts for Jerusalem,but no where does it say that this servant is His son or anything about being the messiah as most Christians have been taught to understand it. In fact go to chapter 42 verse 1.

This is my servant , whom I uphold,My chosen one in whom I delight. I have put My spirit upon him, He shall teach the true way to the nations.

Remember that in the original Hebrew there were no brakes in chapters and verses so this is a continuation of the servant theme. Who is this servant? Israel. So what is it that this servant does? He teaches the “true way to the nations.” What is that true way? The ways of the people of Israel, in other words the laws and instructions of G-d handed to them at Mt. Sinai. See also verse 4.

Other verses:

Isaiah 43:10 My witnesses are you declares the Lord, My servant,whom I have chosen....

Isaiah 44:1-2 But hear , now, O Jacob My servant, Israel whom I have chosen...Fear not My servant Jacob, Jeshurun whom I have chosen,

Isaiah 44:21 Remember theses things, O Jacob For you O Israel, are My servant...

Isaiah 45: 4 For the sake of My servant Jacob, Israel My chosen one...

Isaiah 49: 3 And He said to me, You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory...

Do you see it? The message is quite clear. G-d is saying again and again that Israel is His servant. Now take the next logical step in thought.

What nation, what people, have suffered as much over the last 2000 years as the Jewish people? They have been hunted, tortured and killed. They have lost their homes, their families, and their nation, though they now have a small portion of the original back. They have been slaughtered whole sale by nations that no longer exist and yet some how they are still here despite all attempts to destroy them. Logically it makes no sense unless you look at it from the servant song perspective.

What I find really interesting is the response of the nations when Israel and the Jewish people are finally, openly, redeemed and blessed by G-d once again.

Look at chapter 52:13-15.

These verses lead directly into chapter 53.Verse 13 again speaks of His servant but it's verse 15 that clues you in to what is happening in chapter 53,

Verse 15 “ Just so he shall startle many nations. Kings shall be silenced because of him, for they shall see what has not been told them, Shall behold what they never have heard.”

This leads you to the opening of 53 which is the kings and nations speaking.

Who can believe what we have heard? Upon who has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

As you continue on into the chapter, it's the nations speaking of Israel, in total disbelief and shock.

There are other points to be made in chapter 53 but that will be for another day.

Just understand for now, that the “suffering servant” is not a man or demi god, it is the Jewish people, Israel.

Shalom

Comfort Together

Do you picture G-d as being compassionate? Many, particularly in the Christian world, seem to see G-d as a tyrant. Others like to give long and lengthy sermons on the wrath of G-d and the damnation that awaits your soul if you don't follow their particular brand of religion. I remember hearing a Christian band one time, back when I was still a Christian, spending their half time show, speaking of nothing but the “wrath of G-d” and essentially scaring people into “salvation.”

Truly I don't blame them for their message, after all that's what most Christians are taught, that G-d is a vengeful, wrathful G-d, who will utterly annihilate you for your sin ,without mercy, unless you believe in Jesus. Now I have stated in earlier posts that Jesus is not the messiah, and that the messiah is not coming to forgive anyone's sin, G-d Himself will do that, and he says so. Lets look at Isa. 40:1-2

Isaiah 40:1-2 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.”

As someone once explained to me Hebrew is very sparse on words. The words as they are translated really convey a series of ideas and over the years some blanks have been filled in with words to give it a more modern understanding.

Just as an example verse one reads something like this: comfort you comfort you people of me he is saying Elohim of you.

What is interesting here is that the word “comfort you” is used twice in a row. Generally if it is repeated in Hebrew is has significance and is sincerely meant. So here you have a compassionate G-d wanting Isaiah to speak the following words as a way to bring them comfort and what is it that he says?

“That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned.”

Israel and Judah sinned greatly against G-d by following other so called “gods” of the nations around them. They were, at that time , in the midst of being scattered and punished, “ she has received from the Lords hand double for all her sins” yet even in the midst of this He has compassion on His people and tells them that they have been forgiven. They had turned their backs on Him and yet He forgives them before they even turn back to Him. No sacrifices, not even a repentance on their collective parts, Yet He forgives them.

Now look at verses 3-5

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Typically, in the Christian world, these verses are used to reference John the Baptist as being the coming of Elijah before the messiah, this is far from the truth. Read it carefully and in context and you just might find something in it that you hadn't read before.

First though, in those days it was quite common for someone of royal blood that was traveling, to have a crew going out ahead of them to smooth out the roads, filling in pot holes and scaring away bandits, so that said individual could travel in safety and relative comfort.

In this context though it is speaking of a much larger and grander event. We are looking at the removal of mountains and the up raising of valleys before G-d Himself arrives, and His glory is going to be seen by everyone TOGETHER. Not individually, not just one nation or religion, but to all of us. Just as He revealed Himself to the entire nation of Israel at MT. Sinai, He will, in the end , reveal Himself to all the world.

So not only is G-d a compassionate G-d, but He promises to show Himself to us all.

Shalom.

The Deaf And The Blind

In keeping with the theme of “In that day” in the time of the Messiah and G-ds kingdom lets look at Isaiah 29:18-20.

In the JPS ( Jewish Publication Society) edition verse 18-20 reads “In that day the deaf shall hear even written words ( another version adds of the scroll) And the eyes of the blind shall see, Even in darkness and obscurity. Then the humble will have increasing joy through the Lord and the neediest of men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, The scoffer will cease to be; and those diligent for evil will be wiped out...

One of the things missing in today's world is a true understanding of G-d's words. Many people don't speak or read Hebrew so they have to rely on faulty translations and, to be quite frank, faulty opinions of so called religious people. It has always amazed me how many times someones translations or their view of G-d often reflects their own personal view. What we are missing, and I know many are looking, and longing for, is a true understanding of Him and His word. I believe that the first part of theses verses is saying that day will come.

“The deaf shall hear even written words” and “the eyes of the blind shall see.”

Have you ever taken a walk in the woods, found a nice spot to sit and just listen? I have,especially during hunting season, and I can tell you that there is nothing any louder then the water in your canteen as it sloshes around when you are trying to be quiet. Then you find a good spot to sit and you settle in and things get very quiet, so quiet that you strain to hear anything, so quiet that a Squirrel sounds like a herd of deer coming through the trees.

This is what I believe is happening to those that are “deaf” in this passage. They are straining to hear the word of G-d and they are rewarded for it.

One time, while I was in Iraq, at the beginning of the war, I had to go out to look for something at about 2am. It was pitch black and there was a sand storm so I literally could see nothing. I waited for a few minutes to let my eyes adjust but still couldn't see much of anything. I was startled by a voice behind me asking if I needed something. I told him what I was looking for and he led me to it. The reason he was able to see was because he had on night vision googles but If I hadn't been looking he would not have asked. Can you see where this fits?

This ,of course, is just my humble opinion and speaking of humble....

Then the humble will have increasing joy through the Lord and the neediest of men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, The scoffer will cease to be; and those diligent for evil will be wiped out...

Who are these humble and neediest of men? I would submit to you that it is those who were once blind and deaf who have sought the word of G-d, and in the finding and hearing, it has brought them great joy. That's you and me because we are looking for and longing for the word of G-d. Plus,as indicated by the end of these verses, the tyrants and the scoffers will be destroyed, one translation going so far as to suggest that they will be no more, they will simply cease to exist.

The deaf will hear and the blind will see. Tyrants and scoffers will be gone. G-d's kingdom will rule. What a time that will be.

Shalom.