…Forgive…
Part One
The
Progression of Sin[1]
‘Our Father who is in
heaven,
Hallowed be Your
name.
On earth as it is in
heaven.
‘And aforgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven
our debtors.‘And do not lead us into temptation, but adeliver us from 1bevil. 2[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever. Amen.]’ [2]
How many of us struggle with the
concept of forgiveness? Maybe a better question to be asked is this: can
forgiveness be taught, and if it can, how? How do we forgive? This leads to
another question: who do I forgive? Myself? Everybody? God? The root of any
healing, any reconciliation, any revival or resurrection of the spirit within
us depends upon our understanding of this complex word, forgive. I know that I
have veered off of my series on “Worship and Encountering the Divine” but that
subject requires much study to get it right (so to speak). In the meantime,
Father has directed me in to go another way, as there are those who need to
look at these other issues. Bear with me I pray; I can only teach as the Lord
leads – may He guide me today…
Maybe the answer to this is not as
simple as defining a word. Using my favorite dictionary, Noah Webster’s “1828
Dictionary of American English”[3] we
find:
“…FORGIVE,
v.t. forgiv'. pret. forgave; pp. forgiven. [L. remitto. See Give.]
1. To pardon; to remit, as an offense
or debt; to overlook an offense, and treat the offender as not guilty. The
original and proper phrase is to forgive the offense, to send it away, to
reject it, that is, not to impute it, [put it to] the offender. But by an easy
transition, we also use the phrase, to forgive the person offending.
Forgive us our debts.
If we forgive men their
trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. Mat 6.
As savages never forget a favor,
so they never forgive an injury.
It is to be noted that pardon,
like forgive, may be followed by the name or person, and by the offense; but
remit can be followed by the offense only. We forgive or pardon the man, but we
do not remit him.
We can find in the definition words like “remit, overlook,
pardon”. We find concepts like “send it away, not impute, to remit”. These are
understandable concepts, but how do we put them into practice? What do they
mean to us anyway? What does it really mean to forgive?
There is only one way to truly understand the concept of
forgiveness; God’s way. How do we find God’s way? His Bible. Now comes the big
question: what is the Bible – for in answering that question, we can begin to
understand exactly what forgiveness is.
The normal response to the question of “What is the Bible?”
usually falls into the category of answers that say “Why it is the word of
God!”. While this is so very true, the Bible is so much more than this. Yahvey
had a purpose and a plan in how the men and women He chose would have their
stories told; He also had a reason for the way it was all structured.
Reverend J.A. Thompson gave a lecture on the similarities of
the structure of the Old Testament (Tanach) and ancient Near East treaties in
1963. He said in his opening statements (emphasis
added):
“…EXCAVATIONS in ancient Near Eastern sites have made
available to scholars a wide range of literature from the ancient world. This
has provided the Old Testament scholar in particular with important comparative
material. To some extent, indeed, the prospect of discovering such literature
has been the stimulus for archaeological work in Bible lands,[5]
for the writers of the Old Testament
were using the literary forms of their own age, and much can be learned by
studying other examples of the same forms. Thus the structure and subject-matter of some of the Psalms can be
paralleled in the literature of Ugarit;[6]
the wisdom literature of the Old Testament has numerous parallels in the
ancient Near East; [7]many
of the laws of the Pentateuch have parallels in the Hammurabi Code and
elsewhere;[8]
the Old Testament story of the Flood has
certain points of contact with the Babylonian flood stories;[9]
indeed, examples could be multiplied.
In recent years, yet another point of contact between the
Old Testament and the literature of the ancient Near East has been noticed,
namely, that in many of the passages in the Old Testament
which
describe the establishment or the renewal of the covenant between Yahweh and
Israel, there is a literary pattern
which closely follows that found in the treaties of the ancient Near East…”
[10]
What this means is that Yahvey used men right where they
were, with the knowledge that they had, and crafted together a binding covenant
agreement with a fledgling nation. Remember, Moshe (Moses) had been raised in
Pharaoh’s house; he was educated, and he would have been familiar with the
crafting of treaties and legal documents. The bible is crafted in the style of
the Suzerain-vassal relationship
typical of the ancient Near East. What is this relationship and what does it
mean to us today?
Without an end to end discussion on this subject, a complete
understanding is hard to reach. It is not the scope of this writing that the
fullness of this subject can be had. I encourage everyone to go to Rico
Cortez’s website, http://www.wisdomintorah.com, and take advantage of the
wealth of material he has accumulated on the Ancient Near East. [11]That
being said, let us rather quickly define the terms Suzerain and vassal.
Suzerain: for the purpose of our study,
the Suzerain is the Sovereign head of state, or the King.
Vassal: is to be considered the subject
or servant of the Sovereign.
Here is a short, detailed explanation:
“…Brief Summary of Suzerain
Treaties:
In the Ancient Near East, treaties
between kings was common. These were treaties drawn up among equals and mostly
outlined agreements to honor each other's boundaries, to maintain trade
relations, and return run-away slaves. These treaties are preserved in the Mari
Tablets and in the Amarna texts. Also preserved in these collections are
treaties drafted between a superior and his inferior. If the relationship was
familial or friendly, the parties are referred to as "father" and
"son." If the relationship is bereft of kindness and intimacy, the
parties are referred to as "lord" and "servant," or
"king" and "vassal," or "greater king" and
"lesser king." The greater king is the suzerain and the lesser king
is a prince, or a lesser lord in the service of the greater king. The lesser
lord is a representative of all the common people who are under the protection
of the greater king. He enforces the treaty among the masses.
These Suzerain/Vassal treaties open
with two sections: 1) The identification of the Suzerain by his name and
titles; 2) The historical survey of the Suzerain's dealings with the vassal.
The purpose is to illustrate to the vassal how much the Suzerain has done to
protect and establish the vassal who therefore owes submission and allegiance
to the Suzerain. These two sections are referred to as the
"Preamble."
The next section of these treaties
list the "stipulations." What the vassal is required to do is spelled
out in principal and detail. This section is often concluded with the
requirement that the vassal deposit his copy of the treaty in his temple, where
he is to occasionally read and study it to refresh his memory concerning his
duties.
The last section of these treaties
contains the blessings and curses of the Suzerain. If the stipulations are met
by the vassal, he will receive the Suzerain's blessings, which are listed. If
the vassal fails to meet the stipulations, he will receive the Suzerain's
curses, which are also listed.
The Suzerain would keep one copy of
the treaty and the vassal would keep one copy of the treaty. A number of
ratifying ceremonies were used depending upon the era and culture. But the most
widely used rite was that of cutting the bodies of animals in halves and
placing them in two rows with enough space between for the two parties of the
treaty to walk side by side. As they walked between the pieces, they were
vowing to each other, "May what has happened to these animals, happen to
me if I break this covenant with you."
Covenant Documents of the Bible
Patterned After Suzerain Treaties:
Exodus 20
- (1-2)"Yahweh"
is the Suzerain who delivered this Preamble to Moses, the vassal-lord who
represents the people under the authority of the Suzerain.
- names
& titles = "I am the Lord, your God."
- historical
prologue = "Who brought you out of Egypt..."
- (3-17)
Stipulations with selected blessings and curses.
- stipulations
= the 10 commandments;
- blessings
and curses = (5b-6); (7b); (12b).
Deuteronomy
- (This
entire book of Moses is saturated with Suzerain Treaty language and
structure. It is not properly the treaty document itself, but it is based
upon such a treaty, making reference to it often. Below are some
examples.)
- (4:32-40)
Historical Prologue language and structure;
- (4:44
- 5:21) Stipulations;
- (6:4-25)
Blessings and Curses;
- (8)
Reflects all the sections of a suzerain treaty;
- (11)
" " "
- (17:14-20)
Reflects the relationship of a vassal king to the Suzerain;
- (20)
Reflects the language and structure of war-time arrangements between a
Suzerain and his people;
- (27-28)
Curses and Blessings;
- (29)
Covenant Renewal;
- (30:11-19)
Classic presentation of Ancient Near East Treaties!
- (A
question along the lines of "what came first, the chicken or the
egg?" Did God see fit to present his covenant to his people in a
cultural form developed by Near Eastern empires, or did God's original
pattern for his covenant in Eden inform and form the cultural pattern of
the Ancient Near East?)…” [12]
[13]
So what does this mean to us? It means that in the context
of Scripture, not only is the Bible the inspired word of God, it is also a contract,
a legally binding document, detailing all the rights and obligations of the
Suzerain to the vassal and vise-versa.
If we understand that we now, as believers, come under the
jurisdiction of a legally binding agreement, we can better understand the role
of forgiveness in our lives. But we also need to see what it is that we are
forgiven of: the sin, the disobedience to God that haunts our existences. This
sin has many phases and it will do us well to explore them.
There is a progression of sin in our lives. We can see this
in Exodus:
Exodus 34:6-8 (NASB95)
6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, acompassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and 1truth;
6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, acompassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and 1truth;
yet
He bwill
by no means leave the guilty unpunished, cvisiting the iniquity of
fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth
generations.”
There are three words here used
for “sin”: iniquity; transgression and sin: but the three lead us to the stages of sin’s progression:
1.
Sin:
(H2403) - Original: חטּאת חטּאה
- Transliteration: Chatta'ah
- Phonetic: khat-taw-aw'
- Definition: [to miss
the mark (figuratively and generally), hence to sin]
1. sin, sinful
2. sin, sin offering
a. sin
b. condition of sin, guilt of sin
c. punishment for sin
d. sin-offering
e. purification from sins of ceremonial uncleanness
- TWOT entry: 638e
- Part(s) of speech: Noun
Feminine
- Strong's: From H2398; an offence
(sometimes habitual sinfulness) and its penalty occasion sacrifice or
expiation; also (concretely) an offender: - punishment (of sin)
purifying (-fication for sin) sin (-ner offering). [15]
2.
Transgression:
(H6588) - Original: פּשׁע
- Transliteration: Pesha`
- Phonetic: peh'-shah
- Definition: [a revolt,
or to break away from a just authority]
1. transgression, rebellion
1. transgression (against individuals)
2. transgression (nation against nation)
3. transgression (against God) 1a
a. in general 1a
b. as recognized by sinner 1a
c. as God deals with it 1a
d. as God forgives
1. guilt of transgression
2. punishment for transgression
3. offering for transgression
- TWOT entry: 1846a
- Part(s) of speech: Noun
Masculine
- Strong's: From H6586; a revolt
(national moral or religious): - rebellion; sin; transgression; trespassive [16]
3.
Iniquity:
(H5771) Original:
עוון עון
- Transliteration: `avon
- Phonetic: aw-vone'
- Definition: [perversity, to twist or distort]
1. perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of
iniquity
a. iniquity
b. guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of
condition)
c. consequence of or punishment for iniquity [17]
In Judaism, as well as in Messianic communities, you will
find the congregations declaring the Shema, which follows Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37–41. Shema Yisrael
(or Sh'ma Yisrael; Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל; "Hear, [O] Israel") are the
first two words of a section of the Torah,
and is the title (sometimes shortened to simply "Shema") of a
prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. [18]
“Shema” has the broader understanding of “hear” but it also
means “to obey”:
“…Sh’ma: -
Original: שׁמע
- Transliteration: Shama`
- Phonetic: shaw-mah'
- Definition: v
1. to hear, listen to, obey
a. (Qal)
1. to hear (perceive by ear)
2. to hear of or concerning
3. to hear (have power to hear)
4. to hear with attention or interest, listen to
5. to understand (language)
6. to hear (of judicial cases)
7. to listen, give heed 1a
b. to consent, agree 1a
c. to grant request
1. to listen to, yield to
2. to obey, be obedient
d. (Niphal)
1. to be heard (of voice or sound)
2. to be heard of
3. to be regarded, be obeyed
e. (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
f. (Hiphil)
1. to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
2. to sound aloud (musical term)
3. to make proclamation, summon
4. to cause to be heard n m
2. sound
- Origin: a primitive
root
- TWOT entry: 2412, 2412a
- Part(s) of speech:
- Strong's: A primitive
root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention
obedience etc.; causatively to tell etc.): - X attentively call (gather)
together X carefully X certainly consent consider be content declare X
diligently discern give ear (cause to let make to) hear (-ken tell) X indeed
listen make (a) noise (be) obedient obey perceive (make a) proclaim (-ation)
publish regard report shew (forth) (make a) sound X surely tell understand
whosoever [heareth] witness…” [19]
Since “shema” means to hear and obey, to do the opposite is direct
disobedience to God’s word, which is the next progression of sin..
We see this in Deuteronomy 28:45:
Deuteronomy 28:45 (NASB95)
45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you auntil you are destroyed, because you would not 1obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. [20]
45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you auntil you are destroyed, because you would not 1obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. [20]
The Hebrew words used here in Deut. 28:45 for “not obey” are
the words “lo’ shama”:
4.
“…Not
(lo’): (H3808) - Original: לה לוא לא
- Transliteration: Lo'
- Phonetic: lo
- Definition:
1. not, no
a. not (with verb - absolute prohibition)
b. not (with modifier - negation)
c. nothing (subst)
d. without (with particle)
e. before (of time)
- Origin: a primitive
particle
- TWOT entry: 1064
- Part(s) of speech: Adverb
- Strong's: lo;
a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles: - X before + or else ere + except ig [-norant] much less nay neither never no ([-ne] -r [-thing]) (X as though . . . [can-] for) not (out of) of nought otherwise out of + surely + as truly as + of a truth + verily for want + whether without. [21]
not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles: - X before + or else ere + except ig [-norant] much less nay neither never no ([-ne] -r [-thing]) (X as though . . . [can-] for) not (out of) of nought otherwise out of + surely + as truly as + of a truth + verily for want + whether without. [21]
Hear
(Shama): (H8055)- Original: שׁמע
- Transliteration: Shama`
- Phonetic: shaw-mah'
- Definition: v
1. to hear, listen to, obey
a. (Qal)
1. to hear (perceive by ear)
2. to hear of or concerning
3. to hear (have power to hear)
4. to hear with attention or interest, listen to
5. to understand (language)
6. to hear (of judicial cases)
7. to listen, give heed 1a
b. to consent, agree 1a
c. to grant request
1. to listen to, yield to
2. to obey, be obedient
d. (Niphal)
1. to be heard (of voice or sound)
2. to be heard of
3. to be regarded, be obeyed
e. (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
f. (Hiphil)
1. to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
2. to sound aloud (musical term)
3. to make proclamation, summon
4. to cause to be heard n m
2. sound
- Origin: a primitive
root
- TWOT entry: 2412, 2412a
- Part(s) of speech:
- Strong's: A primitive
root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention
obedience etc.; causatively to tell etc.): - X attentively call (gather)
together X carefully X certainly consent consider be content declare X
diligently discern give ear (cause to let make to) hear (-ken tell) X indeed
listen make (a) noise (be) obedient obey perceive (make a) proclaim (-ation)
publish regard report shew (forth) (make a) sound X surely tell understand
whosoever [heareth] witness…” [22]
Taken together, lo’
shama literally means to “not or to refuse to hear intelligently as
pertaining to or with the implication of (paying) attention or obedience”.
In the progression of sin, the next step is to refuse to
serve God. We see the prohibition of serving others in Deut. 8:19:
Deuteronomy 8:19
(NKJV)
19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, xI testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. [23]
19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, xI testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. [23]
The
Hebrew word for “serve” here defines the next progression of sin:
5.
“…Serve:
(H5647) - Original: עבד
- Transliteration: `abad
- Phonetic: aw-bad'
- Definition: as used
here by implication to work (in any sense) for another; to serve, to enslave,
to be kept in bondage to..
1. to work, serve
a. (Qal)
1. to labour, work, do work
2. to work for another, serve another by labour
3. to serve as subjects
4. to serve (God)
5. to serve (with Levitical service)
b. (Niphal)
1. to be worked, be tilled (of land)
2. to make oneself a servant
c. (Pual) to be worked
d. (Hiphil)
1. to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to
serve
2. to cause to serve as subjects
e. (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
- Origin: a primitive
root
- TWOT entry: 1553
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: A primitive
root; to work (in any sense); by implication to serve till
(causatively) enslave etc.: - X be keep in bondage be bondmen
bond-service compel do dress ear execute + husbandman keep labour (-ing man)
bring to pass (cause to make to) serve (-ing self) (be become) servant (-s) do
(use) service till (-er) transgress [from margin] (set a) work be wrought
worshipper…” [24]
To serve another is to refuse to serve God..
The next is to act treacherously to God as related in a
trespass..
In Numbers 31:16 we see this:
Numbers 31:16
(NASB95)
16 “aBehold, these 1caused the sons of Israel, through the 2counsel of bBalaam, to 3trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord. [25]
16 “aBehold, these 1caused the sons of Israel, through the 2counsel of bBalaam, to 3trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord. [25]
6.
“…Trespass:
(H4604)-
Original: מעל
- Transliteration: Ma`al
- Phonetic: mah'-al
- Definition: to act
treacherously
1. unfaithful or treacherous act, trespass
a. against man
- TWOT entry: 1230a
- Part(s) of speech: Noun
Masculine
- Strong's: From H4608; treachery
that is sin: - falsehood grievously sore transgression trespass X very…”[26]
What happens next is outright rebellion…
—says the Lord.
Be your sins
like crimson,
They can turn
snow-white;
Be they red as
dyed wool,
They can become
like fleece.”
19If, then, you agree and give heed,
You will eat the
good things of the earth;
20But if you refuse and disobey,
7. “…Disobey (or rebel in some
versions): - Original: מרה
- Transliteration: Marah
- Phonetic: maw-raw'
- Definition: to make
bitter, to rebel
1. to be contentious, be rebellious, be refractory, be
disobedient towards, be rebellious against
a. (Qal) to be disobedient, be rebellious
1. towards father
2. towards God
b. (Hiphil) to show rebelliousness, show disobedience,
disobey
- Origin: a primitive root
- TWOT entry: 1242
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: A primitive
root; to be (causatively make) bitter (or unpleasant);
(figuratively) to rebel (or resist; causatively to provoke): -
bitter change be disobedient disobey grievously provocation provoke (-ing) (be)
rebel (against -lious)…”[28]
Our rebellion then leads to making God bitter by our
continued stubborn disobedience.
Sin progresses then into wickedness as seen in Isa 57:20:
Isaiah 57:20 (NABWRNT)
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea
which cannot be
calmed,
8.
Wicked:
(H7563) -Original: רשׁע
- Transliteration: Rasha`
- Phonetic: raw-shaw'
- Definition: to be
wicked with strong excitement
1. wicked, criminal
a. guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)
b. wicked (hostile to God)
- TWOT entry: 2222b
- Part(s) of speech: Adjective
- Strong's: From H7561; morally wrong;
concretely an (actively) bad person: - + condemned guilty ungodly
wicked (man) that did wrong.
Our sin then leads us to the point where we begin to live
worthlessly, in vain, “rude, crude and socially unsophisticated” you might say…
Who work out
evil on their beds!
Here, there is a different word translated as “iniquity”:
9.
“…Iniquity
(H205): -
Original: און
- Transliteration: 'aven
- Phonetic: aw-ven'
- Definition: to live
worthlessly or without any worthy purpose
1. trouble, wickedness, sorrow
a. trouble, sorrow
b. idolatry
c. trouble of iniquity, wickedness
- Origin: from an
unused root perhaps meaning properly, to pant (hence, to exert oneself, usually
in vain
- TWOT entry: 48a
- Part(s) of speech: Noun
Masculine
- Strong's: From an
unused root perhaps meaning properly to pant (hence to exert
oneself usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness;
also trouble vanity wickedness; specifically an idol:
- affliction evil false idol iniquity mischief mourners (-ing) naught sorrow
unjust unrighteous vain vanity wicked (-ness.) Compare H369…” [31]
Sin has a conclusion: somewhere within this progression all
will find themselves; may it not be at the end of the progressive slide:
Evil.
Genesis 6:5 (NASB95)
5 Then
the Lord saw that the wickedness
of man was great on the earth, and that aevery
intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. [32]
10. Evil (H7451): - Original: רעה רע
- Transliteration: Ra`
- Phonetic: rah
- Definition: adj:
(natural or moral) affliction, calamity, vicious, lawlessness
1. bad, evil
a. bad, disagreeable, malignant
b. bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery)
c. evil, displeasing
d. bad (of its kind - land, water, etc)
e. bad (of value)
f. worse than, worst (comparison)
g. sad, unhappy
h. evil (hurtful)
i. bad, unkind (vicious in disposition)
j. bad, evil, wicked (ethically)
1. in general, of persons, of thoughts
2. deeds, actions n m
2. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity
a. evil, distress, adversity
b. evil, injury, wrong
c. evil (ethical) n f
3. evil, misery, distress, injury
a. evil, misery, distress
b. evil, injury, wrong
- TWOT entry: 2191a,2191c
- Part(s) of speech:
- Strong's: From H7489; bad
or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second
(feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity affliction bad
calamity + displease (-ure) distress evil ([-favouredness] man thing) +
exceedingly X great grief (-vous) harm heavy hurt (-ful) ill (favoured) + mark
mischief (-vous) misery naught (-ty) noisome + not please sad (-ly) sore sorrow
trouble vex wicked (-ly -ness one) worse (-st) wretchedness wrong. [Including
feminine ra´ah; as adjective or noun.] [33]
Evil has as its aim the disruption and destruction of all
the good, all the moral worth of creation that God intended from the beginning.
It was the progression of sin in satan that caused the rebellion in heaven:
Every
kind of precious stone covered you:
beryl,
onyx, and jasper,
they
were prepared on the day you were created.
You
were on the holy mountain of God;
you
walked among the fiery stones.
15 From the day you were created
you were blameless in your ways
until wickedness was found in you.
16 Through the abundance of your trade,
you were filled with violence, and you sinned.
So I
expelled you in disgrace
from
the mountain of God,
from
among the fiery stones.
For
the sake of your splendor
you
corrupted your wisdom.
So I
threw you down to the earth;
You have been
cut down to the earth,
You who have
weakened the nations!
13 “But you said in your heart,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
To the recesses
of the pit.
16 “Those who see you will gaze at you,
‘Is this the man
who made the earth tremble,
Who shook
kingdoms,
And overthrew
its cities,
YHVH
destroyed the world of man in a flood because of the evil of their hearts. It
had grieved God in His heart that He had even made man… Thus we see the result
of the progression of our sin; the breaking of God’s heart. Who among us wants
to bear that responsibility, of hurting the very One that sustains us, that
gives us life? There have been many dark things that have happened in this
world; while I believe in a Sovereign God, I also believe that in His wisdom He
gives us enough rope to hang ourselves with. “Why?” might you ask. I dare say I
cannot answer that question. If He didn’t, He would HAVE to destroy us, for it
is what we deserve. Are we any wickeder than those of the days of Noach (Noah)?
Are we any more righteous? No and No. We are just as wicked and we are no more
righteous. Then why does God put up with us? It goes back to this verse:
Exodus 34:6-8 (NASB95)
6 “…Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
6 “…Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
7 who
keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and
sin;
yet
He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity
of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth
generations.”
8 Moses
made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship…”
The
answer is found in this verse, where Yahvey reveals His name to Moshe. In the
highlighted section above is the answer: God is “slow to anger”. Here is the
beginning of understanding forgiveness; here is the beginning of understanding
the power of the Suzerain. It will be here we pick up and finish our study next
time.
May Yahvey
richly bless you this day, my beloved, Amein.
[1]
With thanks for the concept and examples by Pastor Mark Blitz of El Shaddai
Ministries, Bonney Lake WA http://elshaddaiministries.us/
[2] New
American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman
Foundation.
[3] This is why I
favor Webster’s 1828 dictionary: “…Noah
Webster, the Father of American Christian education, wrote the first American
dictionary and established a system of rules to govern spelling, grammar, and
reading. This master linguist understood the power of words, their definitions,
and the need for precise word usage in communication to maintain independence… No other dictionary compares with the Webster's 1828
dictionary. The English language has changed again and again and in many
instances has become corrupt. The
American Dictionary of the English Language is based upon God's written word,
for Noah Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions. This
standard reference tool will greatly assist students of all ages in their
studies. From American History to literature, from science to the Word of God,
this dictionary is a necessity…”
from ‘Module Properties’, theWord® software ©2003-2012 by Costas Stergiou.
[4] Webster,
Noah. Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of American English. Vol.
Electronic edition, theWord® software, v.4.0.0.1342 by Costas Stergiou
©2003-2012 . Foundation for American Christian Education, 1828.
[5] “W. F. Albright, The
Archaeology of Palestine, 1960, Cp. I, gives several examples. Note
also the commission of the Palestine Exploration Fund founded in 1865 - A
society for the accurate and systematic investigation of the archaeology, the
topography, the geology, and physical geography, the manners and customs of the
Holy Land for biblical illustration.” [citation from article, see footnote 9
(nine)]
[6] W. F. Albright, C.B.Q., VII,
1945, pp. 5-3I; H. L. Ginsberg, J.B.L., LXII, 1943, pp. I09-115; W. F.
Albright, Studies in Old Testament Prophecy (Ed. H. H. RowIey),
1950, pp. 1-I8; H.U.C.A., XXIII, 1950/ 51, pp. I-39. [citation from
article, see footnote 9 (nine)]
[7] M. Noth and D.
Win ton Thomas (Eds.), Wisdom in Israel and in the Ancient Near
East, essays presented to H. H. Rowley, V.T. Supp. Ill, 1955. [citation from article, see
footnote 9 (nine)]
[8] H.
Cazelles, Etudes sur le Code de l'AJliance, 1946; H. H. Rowley, B.J.R.L.,
34, 1951, pp. 8I-1 18. [citation
from article, see footnote 9 (nine)]
[9] A. HeideI. The Gilgamesh Epic
and Old Testament Parallels, 1949 [citation from article, see footnote 9
(nine)]
[10] THE ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN TREATIES
AND THE OLD TESTAMENT by
The Rev. ]. A. THOMPSON, M.A., Ph.D. Lecturer. Baptist Theological College,
Eastwood, New South Wales; ©The Tyndale Press First Published December.
I964 THE TYNDALE LECTURE IN BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 1963. This lecture was
delivered in Cambridge on 22 June, I963 at a meeting convened by
the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical Research. [found at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/tp/treaties_thompson.pdf; all citations listed have been
renumbered by the author to fit this epistle]
[11] Some additional resources:
Baltzer, K. The Covenant Formulary. Oxford,
1971.
Craigie, P. C. The book of
Deuteronomy. Grand Rapids, 1976, 20-44.
Frankena, R. "The Vassal Treaties of
Esarhaddon and the Dating of Deuteronomy.“ In OTS, 14, (1965), 122-54.
Kalluveettil, Paul. Declaration
and Covenant. Rome, 1982.
Kitchen, Kenneth. Ancient Orient
and Old Testament. Downers Grove, 1966, 90-102.
McCarthy, D. J. Old
Testament Covenant. Atlanta, 1972. Treaty and Covenant. Rome, 1978.
Mendenhall, George. "Covenant Forms in
Israelite Tradition" in Biblical Archaeologist Reader 3, Ed. E. F. Campbell
and D. N. Freedman. New York, 1970, 25-53. de Vaux, Roland. The Early History of Israel. Philadelphia, 1978,
439ff.
Weinfeld, Moshe. "Covenant Terminology in
the Ancient Near East and Its Influence on the West." JAOS 93 (1973):
190-99.
"Berith." In Theological
Dictionary of the Old Testament. Vol. 2. Ed. G. J.
Botterweck and H.
Ringgren. Grand Rapids, 1975, 253-79. Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomic School. Oxford,
1972, 59-157.
[12] "Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents the Bible" Notes from lectures of Dr. Meredith Kline,
presented at Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California,
Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in Massachusetts [from http://www.wisdomintorah.com, ANE Studies.
[13] As to the answer to this
question, God’s pattern that developed out of Eden is the source of all the mythologies
and subsequent human endeavors that have come into being in history. Yahvey is
the architect of all things; man just tried to copy what God had set into
motion without being under His command; we can see where that type of thinking
has gotten us, can’t we?
[14] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update.
1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[15] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong
Definitions + KJ Concordance + TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright
©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[16] …Ibid…
[17] …Ibid…
[19] BTSCTVM +; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance + TVM
All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright
©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[21] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance
+ TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[22] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance
+ TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[24] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance
+ TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[26] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance
+ TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[27] Jewish
Publication Society. (1997, c1985). Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures : A new
translation of the Holy Scriptures according to the traditional Hebrew text.
Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
[28] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance
+ TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
27 Confraternity
of Christian Doctrine. Board of Trustees, Catholic Church. National Conference
of Catholic Bishops, & United States Catholic Conference. Administrative
Board. (1996, c1986). The New American Bible : Translated from the original languages
with critical use of all the ancient sources and the revised New Testament.
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
[31] BTSCTVM +; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions +
KJ Concordance + TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
[32] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update.
1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[33] BTSCTVM
+; The electronic edition of The BDB/Thayer/Strong Definitions + KJ Concordance
+ TVM All in One Dictionary 1.1; from http://www.biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/5866-bdbthayerstrong-definitions-kj-concordance-tvm-all-in-one-dictionary and
used with e-Sword®, version 10.2.1, copyright ©2000-2013 by Rick Meyers.
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