Musing – Do People Realize They Are Not God?

Hebraic Musing – Do People Realize They Are Not God?

Rulers of ancient nations often considered themselves to be gods, Pharaohs and Caesars being the classic examples.  But today there are leaders and some of us individuals who act as if they are their own gods.  Like many ancient leaders they flaunt their influence, believing matters of life and death, wealth and poverty, freedom and slavery are in the power of their hands.  How many people today look upon themselves as equal to or just below God, and way above all other men?  And they don’t even consider God’s perspective?

In sharp contrast, our patriarch David, who led the mighty army of Israel to countless victories and was the king of a great nation, recognized he was not God and shared his perspectives in Psalm 131 “My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.  O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.” NIV

I don’t know what you see, but I see more and more people, including leaders, who are acting like they are their own god.  What do I mean?  Do we see people and leaders who usurp God’s role, wanting to be like God by…

·      Judging – Imposing non-Torah laws on others.  Too many examples to list!

·      Taking – Socialistic taking from haves to give to have nots.  Bible tell us to “give”, not “take”.

·      Killing – Abortion, Jihad, Euthanasia come to mind as the taking of lives, which is God’s prerogative.

·      Idol Worship -- Blatantly misguided false religions do exist, but we have also decided to worship people and physical things to which we give more time, money and attention than we do to God. (Hollywood & Media!)

·      Selfishness – Seems that if it feels good it must be okay!  Everyone is listening to their favorite radio station – WIIFM?  “What’s In It For Me” is the driving force.  Shouldn’t we be asking “What’s in it for the Kingdom of God”?

·      Escapism – How do we escape from God’s gift of life?  Drugs, alcohol, video games, entertainment medias.  Do we really live life and appreciate His gift of life?

Read Psalm 131 again to appreciate how David as a world leader kept his relationship and dependency perspective on God.   Can we too compare ourselves to a nursing baby, helpless and hungry?  Can we recognize that like David, we are vulnerable and lacking without divine assistance from God?  David never thought that he was God; in fact, he knew that he was nothing without God.  All that he had and all that he had become were the results of God’s kindness.

To quote Rabbi Eckstein*  “A mother wants nothing more than to nourish her hungry child.  So, too, God wants us to be happy and satisfied.  But we can only receive sustenance from God as we remain close to Him.   Listen to King David and remember that we are all God’s children – He nourishes us, He sustains us.  He alone is the source of all blessings.”

Points to ponder

What was Lucifer’s downfall?  
He wanted to compete with God and to be like God!
Do we?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”  Proverbs 3:5

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          January 29, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*   Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein’s “Source of All Blessings” Dec. 31, 2018

Musing – How to “Open Your Eyes” to Your Blessings?

Hebraic Musing – How to “Open Your Eyes” to Your Blessings?

What a beautiful prayer in Psalm 119:18  “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” ESV.   And proverb Proverbs 20:13 sounds contradictory, but is it? “Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.” ESV   How does that work?  Open your eyes and you’ll love the law and have plenty of bread (or prosperity)?!?!

A Jewish Russian, Mikhail Fridman, was a very wealthy businessman who raised eyebrows when he announced that he didn’t plan to leave any of his money to his children when he passes away.  Mr. Fridman was known to be extremely generous philanthropist, so this surprised many people.  He understood something researchers have found.  All too often children do not benefit from large fortunes being handed over to them.  Unearned money has been found to increase unhappiness and decrease productiveness in the lives of many heirs.  And believe it or not, many lottery winners are unhappy with their destroyed lives.

From this example, what can we learn about the love of a father who withholds luxuries from his children for their own good?  Is it possible that God often does the same for us, His most beloved children?!?!

To explain the phrase in Proverbs, “open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread” Rabbis use a parable:  

“There was once a father with a son who was very ill. He found the finest doctor who was able to cure his son, but the doctor also warned that the child must keep away from even the smallest amount of fatty meat. 

One day while the father was away on a business trip, the son found himself near freshly cooked meat that smelled incredible.  The boy couldn’t help himself, gave into the temptation and ate some of the meat.  When his father arrived home, he found his son hovering between life and death.  He went back to the doctor who healed the child once more, and the father promised never to leave his son unsupervised again.

Sometime later when the father was having a feast for friends and relatives, he chased his boy out of the dining hall.  To the guests, the father seemed cruel and unkind.  But the truth was that the father was acting out of love for his son and protecting him from what would harm him.”

In the same way, is it possible that God gives us less than we want because it is for our own good?  Too often we are unsatisfied with our lot in life.  But the verse says, “Open your eyes!”  God sees a broader picture than what is in front of us.  Might there be good reasons why God gives what He gives and withholds what He withholds?  Can we learn to appreciate that God is giving us exactly what is best for us?  If we do, then we will never feel we are lacking for anything.

Points to ponder

The truth is that God has already given us plenty – all that is good for us,
and none of what might harm us at this time in our lives.

Do we tend to want things before the right time?
Why is “Buy now, pay later” a recipe for unhappiness?

♫  Count your blessings, name them one by one…  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                               January 22, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired and excerpted from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein’s “Dangers of unearned inheritance”, Dec. 27, 2018 

Musing – Where are We in the Cycle of Civilizations?

Hebraic Musing – Where are We in the Cycle of Civilizations?

Cultures and Civilization go through a cycle.  They typically rise and fall in about a 200 year cycle and history provides continuous examples.  Sociologists describe eight stages of the rise and fall of the world’s great civilizations.*  Where in the cycle are we?  (America? The Church? Christianity? You/we/us?) 

1.   From bondage to spiritual growth – Great civilizations are formed in the crucible.  Jews were in bondage in Egypt.  Christian faith and the Church came out of years of persecution.  Western Christianity emerged from conflicts during the decline of the Roman Empire.  American culture was formed by the injustices in colonial times.  Sufferings and injustices inspired spiritual growth by men seeking solutions.

2.   From spiritual growth to great courage – Anointed leaders emerge.  People summon courage and a willingness to sacrifice their lives, if necessary, in order to create a better and more just world.  With little or nothing to lose they were willing to live, work and die for something more important than themselves.

3.   From courage to liberty – As a result of the courageous fight, the foe is vanquished and liberty and greater justice emerges.  A civilization emerges rooted in its greatest ideals.  Many who led the battle are still alive and the battle leaves an inspiring legacy.  The liberty is esteemed; the ideals are accepted and respected.

4.  From liberty to abundance – Liberty and courage usher in prosperity from the virtues of sacrifice and hard work.  But then comes the first danger, abundance, which takes on a life of its own.  "Watch out! … a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15   Struggles that engendered discipline and priorities move to the background; enjoyment of the fruit becomes the focus.

5.   From abundance to complacency – Satisfaction leads to complacency.  Things look fine; but foundations, infrastructures and virtue are crumbling and ignored.  They persecute those who raise alarms - “killjoys.”

6.   From complacency to apathy – People have lack of interest or passion for the things that once inspired, so there’s lack of attention to and a dismissal of disturbing trends.  Sacrifices of previous generations are forgotten; and they forget that they must work for and contribute to the common good.  Sacrificing for others becomes remote; more and more are willing to live on the carcass of previous sacrifices.  

7.   From apathy to dependence – Increasing numbers of people lack the virtues and zeal necessary to work and contribute; so since discipline and work seem “too hard,” dependence grows.  The culture tips in the direction of dependence (and any sufferings are deemed intolerable).  Civilization now insists that “others” must solve their woes; thus a growing demand for governmental, collective, socialistic solutions.

8.   From dependence back to bondage – As dependence increases, so does centralized power.  Dependent people become increasingly dysfunctional and desperate.  Seeking a savior, they look to strong central leadership; BUT centralized power corrupts and ushers in injustices.  Those in bondage know of no other solution.  Family and personal virtue, essential ingredients, are replaced by dark and despotic centralized control, hungry for more and more power. The people in bondage have lost the virtues to fight.

The civilization gradually ends.  Then what?  Typically, a more powerful nation or group enters by invasion or replacement and destroys what remains of the decadent civilization, replacing it with their own culture.  Then it’s back to the crucible and a new cycle.  Maybe?!?!

Has this happened before?   New Covenant started with Rome declining; “Holy” Roman Empire; colonial powers (Spanish, Portuguese, French, and the sun does set on the British Empire).  Remember Hitler, Napoleon and the USSR.  The OT tells of David’s Kingdom, then Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

We are living at the end of an era; painful because we see that something we love is dying.  Do we need a major disaster, world war, etc. to wake us up?

Points to ponder

Where in the cycle is America?  …the Church?  … Christianity?  …You personally?

Vote, but also remember Psalm 146:3-4   “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.”

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          January 15, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”
*    Excerpted from “The Eight Stages of the Rise and Fall of Civilizations” by Msgr. Charles Pope, Oct.12, 2016