Post by Mark on May 17, 2008 5:47:11 GMT -8
The Parashah this week describes an economical system that forces an understanding of residency upon us that reveals the temporal nature of our existence in this land; but establishes the eternal nature of Adonai's covenant promises: not only the promises given to the nation and people as a whole; but the promises established with each individual tribe.
That's quite a sentence and somewhat of a grammatical embarrassment. Let' see if I can break it down a little.
The basic and straightforward structure of Parashah Behar is holds this idea: what God gives you is yours. Even if somehow blow it and lose your shirt, even if you make decisions that cause you to abandon your inheritance; that consequences of these decisions will not last forever. You don't have the final say in the matter: God does... and God gave you the land.
When Israel is declared to be "the People of God" this isn't just an endorsement. He's not just saying, " I really, really like them." He's not just stamping them with His USDA-type approval. He is declaring ownership and dominion and authority. While, because of reasonable circumstances where a person my be placed under the authority of someone else (typically because of their own financial irresponsibility) they may have to be placed under the dominion of another as due consequences for their own decisions; but the bottom line is that these people don't belong to themselves. They cannot be bought or sold permanently. They can be "rented out" so to speak; but they belong to Adonai.
This idea establishes for us both the temporal nature of our own present status in this world and the permanence of Adonai's authority over us. It causes us to recognize that this world, this land, this job, is a temporary fixture in the overall economy of Adonai's plans. He has redeemed us to Himself from our creditors. He is returning to resume His covenant dominion over His people.
The Sabbatical concept opens very interesting speculation about Adonai's return. One very popular idea is that His Restoration will be the thousand year Sabbath (or Millennial reign of Christ). In the Hebrew calendar, which is based upon the biblical date of the world's creation, traced back through the generations of the Patriarchs, we are in the year 5768. This means that the thousandth year Sabbath is 232 years away. Immediately, the Baptists in the group argue that "no man knows the day nor the hour"; but Messiah's words in Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 are specifically referring to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, also describing the process of judgment upon all the earth. Exactly which day or hour is being spoken of? We can't even agree upon that, therefore, no one could possibly know it. So, the position is defensible; but, keep in mind that it is not the only one.
Here's the point; and it is clearly made for us in HafTorah portion of Jeremiah 16:19-17:14. Adonai is not limited by our time schedule; and just because we would rather He act now doesn't mean that He is not coming at the set time that He has established.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)
Jeremiah had just told the people going into captivity: plant your fields and establish residency in this foreign land because you're going to be there for a while. We should recognize this as the case for ourselves as well. We are in a strange land- and for all we know, we're going to be here a while. But now, Jeremiah does a curious thing: he purchases a plot in the land of Benjamin. If you've got time, Real Estate is usually a pretty safe investment. In fact, lots of folks are capitalizing on that fact right now. The markets are way down so land can be bought for cheap! Some time in the future, these properties will be worth something again and those few who had the spare cash to invest will be raking it in.
What I'm asking you to do this morning is consider the term of your spiritual investment. Are you withholding because you're maybe not fully sure that your investment is secure or are you putting all your stakes into the Messiah? The bottom line is that our faith system is based fundamentally upon a future hope: that regardless of what things may appear or the direction that things may be headed, at the end of it all is the Year of Jubilee when things will be restored to their proper place.
