The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” -Numbers 11:23

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. -Isaiah 59:1-2

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. -Luke 12:22-31

In one way or another, I’ve been writing about faith lately or the lack thereof (See Faithfulness, But what if I don’t love myself, and Fire, Water, and Wine if you don’t believe me). However, I also read a number of Christian blogs and other content on the web that makes it seem as if every believer writing them never has doubts, is always self-assured, and perhaps even covertly, disdains those believers who experience emotional states other than pure joy and enthusiasm every waking moment. I have a hard time finding references to feeling guilt over sin, experiencing humility in the face of the Messiah, and having struggles over reconciliation with both God and people in any of these write ups. While we are told with confidence that worry is needless and that the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, if we feel small and scared sometimes, should that add on to our list of secret guilts and feelings of inadequacy in front of all the “super-Christians” on the web?

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Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith; remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness. -Proverbs 25:4-5

See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her — but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water. -Isaiah 1:21-22

The bellows blow fiercely to burn away the lead with fire, but the refining goes on in vain; the wicked are not purged out. They are called rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them. -Jeremiah 6:29-30

The Bible is full of “refining fire” metaphors. The idea is that when we, as believers, suffer hardship and difficulties, we can see these events, not as random occurrences in an uncontrolled universe, but as God’s testing us, refining us as precious metal in the fire to burn away the dross. What’s supposed to come back out is a purer product. When believers “go through the fire”, what’s supposed to come back out is a person more faithful to God. However, does it always work this way?

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When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel.” -Hosea 1:2-5

” ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe” -safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. -Jeremiah 7:9-11

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. -1 John 1:6

Yesterday, I was directed to a blog with an article called Have you been cheating on Jesus? I was intrigued, particularly since the entire Bible is filled with marriage and infidelity metaphors describing the relationship, both between Israel and God and the Body of Believers and Yeshua (Jesus). In my thoughts, right before I clicked the link, I imagined what the write up would say (probably because I was imagining what I would say).

Alas, the actual article was way too short to do the topic justice (sorry, SoulSupply.com) but in that instant, my next article (this one) was born.

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R’Chanan bar Rava in the name of Rav teaches that all positions of authority are appointed by Heaven. -From the Teachings of R’Chanan bar Rava

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. -Romans 13:1-3

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. -1 Peter 2:13-14

I don’t like to politicize this blog or my congregation, but this is something that must be said.

There’s something wrong here. No, I don’t mean with the Bible; the Word of God, I mean with us. Yes, that’s right…you and me, Joe and Jane Believer. OK, I might be overstating the point, but at least some believers in Yeshua (Jesus) don’t seem to be paying attention to the parts of the Bible I’ve just quoted. Lately though, the body of politically conservative believers in America have been saying this: Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8.

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Because a world without Torah cannot exist. Cannot work. A world without Torah is a world that self-destructs. As long as there is someone, somewhere, studying Torah, the world will continue to exist. If it ever stopped, the world would cease to exist. -From the Today In Israel blog

Writing a Torah is no small thing. We should remember that it took only seven days to create the world but 40 to write the Torah. There are many Midrash that suggest the world came into being for the sake of Torah. And that were we not to have accepted the Torah at Sinai, the world would have ceased to exist. In writing a Torah we affirm our willingness to receive its wisdom.
-by Rabbi Elliott Tepperman
for BnaiKeshet.org

When I was writing the article The Powerful Word for my congregation’s blog, I kept trying to include the traditional Jewish perspective on the relationship of the universe and the Torah, but for some reason, the resources eluded me. It wasn’t until the day after I posted the article on the blog that suddenly, all of the references I needed fell into place. Perhaps this was meant to be a separate but companion piece to the first write up, rather than one, integrated commentary.

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For more than 70 years, innumerable physicists have tried to disentangle the meaning of quantum mechanics through debate. Now Zeilinger and his collaborators have performed a series of experiments that, while neatly agreeing with the theory’s predictions, are reinvigorating these historical dialogues. In Vienna experiments are testing whether quantum mechanics permits a fundamental physical reality. A new way of understanding an already powerful theory is beginning to take shape, one that could change the way we understand the world around us. Do we create what we observe through the act of our observations?

In 1935, from an idyllic corner of New Jersey, Einstein and two young collaborators began a different assault on quantum mechanics. Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) did not question the theory’s correctness, but rather its completeness. More than the notion that god might play dice, what most bothered Einstein were quantum mechanics’ implications for reality. As Einstein prosaically inquired once of a walking companion, “Do you really believe that the moon exists only when you look at it?”

-from Seed Magazine
The Reality Tests
by Joshua Roebke
June 4, 2008

One of the bizarre concepts attached to Quantum Physics is that (and this is an oversimplification) we change any object, at least subtly, just by observing it. That doesn’t mean your sofa turns into a giraffe just because you’re looking at it, but what it does suggest is that you cannot observe sub-atomic particles or perhaps the light from distant galaxies without, in some small way, altering the phenomena you’re studying. That said, certainly no one, not even the staunchest of Quantum Physics supporters, actually believes the moon would cease to exist if everyone where to stop looking at it. After all, the moon has measurable tidal effects on the Earth and a suddenly missing moon would be even indirectly noticed. Even if the world were completely depopulated, the Moon, as an objective thing would still be there.

On the other hand, there is one “observer” who neither slumbers nor sleeps, and so in that context, the Moon, and everything else, is always being “observed” by God. Perhaps the following can illuminate:

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” -John 20:24-29

Do you believe? In the context of Christianity or Messianic Worship, this question will most often be interpreted as “Do you believe in Yeshua (Jesus)?” Do you believe he is the Son of God? Do you believe he is the Messiah (the Christ)? Do you believe he has the power to forgive sins? Do you believe? If you’re a Christian or a Messianic (by definition, a “believer”), you will likely answer this question (or these questions) with a resounding “yes”. Yet exactly what is “belief?” It’s not a question so much of what we believe but how believe. Consider this.

Quite a number of years ago, when my kids were small, my family, including my parents, took a trip across the country to Missouri. My three children were signed up to attend a Christian sports camp there, so we deposited them for a week or two, and then my parents, wife, and I were free to do some exploring. We ended up going down south. I don’t recall exactly where we visited, but we toured a number of Civil War sites. I love history and it was a real treat for me, but I remember having a rather odd experience.

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By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah – from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities – and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. -Genesis 19:23-26

This coming Shabbat, we will be studying Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24) which includes, among other important events, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by God for their tremendous sins. While the text shows us at least a hint of the depravity of these communities, we are not told of their full extent. We know that, among all of the population of Sodom, God sent angels to save only Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and his family, and likely not on the merits of Lot himself, but for the sake of Abraham.

Lot’s sons-in-law thought he was joking when Lot told them they had to get out fast, before Sodom was destroyed. At dawn, when the angels were ready to destroy the city, even Lot hesitated to leave, and the angels were compelled to take Lot, his wife, and two daughters by the hand and lead them away. At just about every step, Lot argued with the angels and finally demanded to be allowed to go to the town of Zoar, rather than to go where the angels were leading. Finally, against the direct command of the angels, as God was raining down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife looked back, and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt.

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