Musing – Is the most important word in the Bible “If” or “But”?

Hebraic Musing – Is the most important word in the Bible “If” or “But”?

Is "If" - the most important word in the Bible?  This little, yet important word is used about 1,500 times in the Bible, usually alluding to possible situations depending on choices or behaviors.  One of many examples is found in Deut. 28:1-2   “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: “  NIV  And the blessings are spelled out in the next 10 verses.

And then the “If” word appears immediately following in verse 15 “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:”   And the next 53 verses spell out the curses you will incur!

The word “But” appears about 1,000 times in the NIV.  It is also a small word but likewise important, and especially important when combined with the word “If”.  For example – Leviticus 26:14-16   "But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you:”  Note that this reference also contains the classic “if…, then…” logic!

Do we, as well as theologians, skip over these small words all too often and too easily? Do we fail to realize the conditional nature of the Bible's promises?   Which Promises?  Blessings and curses?  Salvation or damnation?   Good life or troubles?  Truth or consequences?  Life and death?

How often do we quote only half the equation, like when we say, "If you obey, He will bless you."?  

Points to ponder

How do we reconcile God’s use of conditional words like “If, Then & But”
with God’s unconditional, agape love?

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, …. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,                                  April 26, 2016