Musing - What Happens if you are Not Ready?

 

Hebraic Musing - What Happens if you are Not Ready?

How would you live differently if you knew that this day would be your last?  As usual, God’s Word has the answer - "Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil."  Ecclesiastes 9:8 NIV 

Symbolically – “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” Rev.3:5    And the “Oil” on your head represents the presence of God; BTW, the first mention of “oil” in the Bible is when Jacob acknowledged the presence of God at the stairway to heaven in Gen.28:18.

On the topic of “how to live each day”, the Talmud* shares a meaningful exchange between a teacher and his students.  Rabbi Eliezer told his students, “Repent one day before your death.”  His students asked him, “Does a person know when he will die?”  To which he replied, “Then he should repent today, maybe he will die tomorrow!  This way, all his days will be full of repentance!”
His students quickly realized that since we never know which day is our last, its best to live every single day like it could be.  That’s why King Solomon expresses the very same idea in Ecclesiastes, our opening verse.  And there are numerous Bible verses addressing “Living each day as if it was your last.”  (Google it!) Example – “...for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.” Eccl.7:2 NIV

The Talmud also gives us an allegory to help us understand this verse:

A king invited his servants to a great feast, but he didn’t tell them when it was going to happen.  The smart ones got ready right away and put on their finest clothing. They waited patiently just outside the entrance to the palace in anticipation of the king.
The foolish ones, however, remained in their regular clothing and continued to do what they would normally do on any other day.  They assumed that they would have plenty of time.  Suddenly, the king announced that the feast was about to begin.  The foolish servants were nowhere near ready, and only the smart ones were able to attend.  Only the servants that prepared were able to enjoy the grand celebration with the king.

Similarly, in Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells a “Parable of the Wedding Feast”; and it includes an invitation, then mentions those who rejected the invite, then a broader invitation, and then Jesus “noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.”  That man was tied hand and foot and they threw “him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Jesus summarized the parable saying “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matt.22:14

IN SUMMARY - Life is one long preparation for a big feast with the Master of the World.  We could be called to attend this feast at any moment; none of us knows our day of death.  If we are smart, we won’t wait to get ready.  We will live each day with passion, meaning, and purpose.

Points to Ponder

What am I passionate about?

What is my purpose in life?  Is it the #1priority in my life?

What would I be doing differently if today was to be my last?

Do we fully recognize what it is to be “Chosen”?
Does that realization affect our day-to-day activities?

♫   There's a great day coming, A great day coming, There's a great day coming by and by;
      When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left, Are you ready for that day to come?
        Are you ready?  Are you ready?   Are you ready for the judgment day?  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                 July 19, 2022

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”    Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

Note – Inspired by & excerpted from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein’s “Always Ready”, June 19, 2012

* Talmud (Learnings in Hebrew) is a collection of writings that covers the full gamut of Jewish law and tradition, compiled and edited between the third and sixth centuries

Musing – Gen. & Rev. “In the Beginning” and “in the End”

 Hebraic Musing – Gen. & Rev. “In the Beginning” and “in the End”   Reprint of Hebraic Insight #83, 2010

In an “Hebraic Insight” published twelve years ago, I listed 22 examples of how God “finalized” in the Book of Revelation what He created or started in the book of Genesis.  You might call this overview “Creation and De-creation” or “The Relationship between Genesis and Revelation.”  This is another example of why we cannot fully understand the New Testament unless we understand it as fulfillment of the Old Testament.  What God creates in Genesis, the beginning of time, He wraps up in Revelation, the end of time.  Examples (all NIV):

Genesis 1:1               ”In the beginning God created …”
Revelation 22:13      “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Genesis 1:3               “God said ‘Let there be light’…”
Revelation 21:23      “The city does not need the sun … glory of God gives it light …”

Genesis 1:6               “God said, ‘Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.’”
Revelation 8:10–11  “The third angel sounded his trumpet, and … A third of the waters turned bitter …”

Genesis 1:8               ” God called the expanse ‘sky.’”
Revelation 20:11      “Then … Earth and sky fled from his presence … no place for them.”

Genesis 1:11             “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees …’”
Revelation 8:7          “The first angel … earth was burned up, a third of the trees … all the green grass …”

Genesis 1:14             “God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from night ‘”
Revelation8:12         “The fourth angel … a third of the sun … of the moon … of the stars … turned dark.”

Genesis 1:20             “God said, ’Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth …’”
Revelation 8:8–9      “The second angel sounded … and … a third of the living creatures in the sea died …”

Genesis 1:26            “God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness …’”
Revelation 9:15        “And the four angels … ready … were released to kill a third of mankind.”

Genesis 1:27             “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him …”
Revelation 21:3        “Now the dwelling of God is with men …God himself will be with them… be their God.”

Genesis 2:1–2           “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed… God had finished … he rested …”
Revelation 21:5–6    “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ … ‘It is done.’”

Have you seen the pattern?  Everything that God started in Genesis, He tied off or finished in the Revelation:

a)    Sin is introduced in Genesis 3.     Sin is done away with in Revelation 20:3 “He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations …”

b)    The curse is pronounced in Genesis 3.    The curse is destroyed in Revelation 21.

c)    Death enters in Genesis 3.      There is no more death after Revelation 21.

d)    Man is banished from Eden in Gen. 3.    Man’s presence is welcome in the Garden of Eden. Rev. 22.

e)    The Tree of Life is guarded in Genesis 3.   The right to the Tree of Life is available in Revelation 22.

f)    Sorrow & suffering introduced in Genesis 3.    There is no more sorrow or suffering after Rev. 22.

g)    Nimrod founds Babylon in Genesis 10.      Babylon finally falls in Revelation 18:21 “Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: ‘With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.’”

h)    God uses a flood to destroy sinful men in Genesis 6–9.    Satan tries to destroy the elect in Rev. 12.

i)     God signs His covenant with a rainbow in Genesis 9.     Then He seals it in Revelation 10:1 “Then I saw another mighty angel … robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun …”

j)     Sodom and Egypt are introduced as signs of evil and corruption in Genesis 13.      Sodom and Egypt become the two witnesses in Jerusalem in Revelation 11:8: “Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.”

k)    A bride is chosen for Abraham’s son in Genesis 24.     In Rev.19 & 21 Abe’s seed becomes the bride

l)     The marriage of the first Adam takes place in Genesis 2.     The last Adam is married in Revelation 19.

m)   Satan’s dominion is established in Genesis.     Christ’s dominion is established in Revelation.

We see that what God created in Genesis at the beginning of time,
    He wraps up in Revelation, at the end of time.

Point to Ponder

Can you really understand and fully appreciate the New Testament
without studying the Old Testament, especially the Torah?

Might this be timely considering current events in today’s news?

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                 July 12, 2022

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”    Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

Musing – Why Do Some People Still Reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

 Hebraic Musing – Why Do Some People Still Reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Even in America with Bibles available and Biblical truths being preached, people still reject the Good News.  Do people today reject the Gospel for the same reasons Jews would not accept Jesus as Messiah?  Jesus came as a baby in a manger and lived a humble life.  The Jews were looking for a man, a Messiah, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who would reign as King, who would lead and liberate them.  The Jews were not looking for the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.  Didn’t they understand they were sinners?  Their prior beliefs were not dismantled.  There were yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies!  Jesus did not do those things in His humble incarnation.  Instead, He lived the perfect, sinless life—the life we cannot live—and then died!    Thus, many rejected their Messiah (Matthew 27:22).  Do we have a similar problem today?

Why do people reject the Gospel today? *

1.   The gospel doesn't fit their plausibility structure; accepted beliefs, convictions, and understandings that either green-light truth claims as plausible or red-light them as implausible.  i.e., Christians green-light the truth claim of Jesus rising from the dead as plausible, but that claim may not be plausible to a non-Christian.

2.   Evangelizing Christians have not looked for common ground.  Do they look for common ground that both they and their audiences already hold to be true as an introduction to sharing the gospel?  The Jewish audience had Scripture as common ground.  But for a gentile audience unfamiliar with Scripture; but the common ground can be God’s grace, the miracle of creation, and universal human desires.  Christians should still use Scripture but we don’t have to begin there; common ground ensures the gospel won’t be rejected outright. 

3.   They don't understand sin and guilt.  Sin is our focus in gospel presentations, but in our culture shame is becoming a more prominent concern.  We have “shamed God” with our sin; we’ve “not been honoring God”! 

4.   Their questions aren't answered.  Start with the basics, be ready to answer tough questions about your faith, like “How do you know there’s a God?”  People might be rejecting the gospel because we are either answering questions they aren’t asking, or not answering the questions they are asking.  Listen!

5.   Ethics are a barrier to belief.  Our non-Christian friends don’t think of “Christianity” as the good news of salvation, forgiveness, restoration, justice, mercy or love.  Instead, they think of hate, fear, power, and violence.  They think their stances are ethical because they empower, liberate, and restore justice to the marginalized.  They are about choice, equality, and rights.  Christians are thought to be unethical because they are viewed as the oppressors, finger-pointers and haters; non-Christians are viewed as the ones on the side of love, justice, and mercy.  Do people reject the Gospel because of this image problem?

6.   The gospel isn't real in Christians' lives.  The question that matters is “Is it real in your life?”  Do we walk the walk and talk the talk?  Do we evangelize to our postmodern friends in a way that communicates authenticity?  When we speak words of truth, do they see a love that is real.  In 1 Thess.1:5, they believed the gospel because they saw Paul’s authentic living.

7.    Wrong evangelistic pedagogical methods.   Evangelism in this postmodern day requires a lifestyle change when it comes to our methods and/or practice of teaching.  From Active practice comes Belief, then Truth.  The Christian life is livable; and if it’s livable then it becomes believable; and if it's believable, then it's accepted as truth.  When our non-Christian friends see how the Christian life works, they will discover it is livable, leading to believability.  “And if they see that, they might also acknowledge that it’s true!”

8.   Culture’s existential cry goes unanswered.  The gospel isn’t merely a set of propositional truths about Jesus; it answers the cry of culture.  We need to speak to our audience in their culture, using the language, idioms, and metaphors of their culture; “What bugs them?”  Connect good news of the gospel to their culture.

9.   Christians try to win the mind before emotions.  However, if tomorrow you woke to the headline, “The Bones of Jesus Have Been Discovered!” would you believe it and leave behind your faith in Christ’s resurrection?  Probably not, because we have prior truth commitments that override what we heard.  When we present facts, evidence and data to our non-Christian friends about Jesus’ resurrection it’s no different for them.  Win over emotions before the mind; then the door is open to overcome prior truth commitments. 
♫ “The joy of the Lord is my strength”

10.  Prior beliefs are not adequately dismantled.  After establishing common ground, we need to use reasoning and evidence to dismantle a nonbeliever’s presuppositions.   Resonate: Describe, understand, and empathize with their presuppositions.  Dismantle: Show a deficiency or dissonance in their presuppositions.  Gospel: Complete their cultural storyline with the gospel.  We need to dismantle their faulty worldview and present the Christian worldview as an attractive alternative.

Point to ponder

How many come to the Lord because someone (a Christian they knew) had what they wanted?

How did the early Apostles use these approaches to overcome Jewish prejudices?

Does the world see us Christians as willing to die for them?

Jesus must be our Creator God because Peace, Justice and Love are not natural attributes!

In Luke 15:21  The prodigal son said “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”  And the father celebrated!

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd            July 5, 2022  
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

*  Inspired by & excerpted from “zondervanacademic.com/blog/reasons-why-people-reject-gospel”

Musing – If You have a Dispute…

 Hebraic Musing – If You have a Dispute…

Or, how to discuss differences and avoid church splits.

Did you know that if you have two Rabbis, you will have three opinions?

Here is a quote that came out of a teaching from Acts 14 & 15  “Christian disputes should lead to discussion, but discussion avails nothing if hearts are not first humbled before God."

Who of us has not heard of an ugly church split, or experienced one ourselves? Or have you encountered someone disagreeing with their Pastor, Priest or Rabbi and storming out the door…?

Did they handle it in a biblical way?  Sometimes they even claim they did. They may even say they went to the person, then brought a friend, then took to before the church, etc.  That's all good, BUT... their hearts must truly be humble for that to work! 

The passage in Acts 14* refers to Pauls' first work in Antioch. The Jerusalem church seemed to be focused on the issue of circumcision, so Paul and Barnabas went back and "discussed" it with them (this being the first Jerusalem Council). The Jerusalem council, led by Yaakov (a.k.a. James), Yeshua’s half-brother, consisted of Jews/Israelites who were rather passionate about their point of view, customs, background and experience. But eventually they were persuaded by the Ruach HaChodesh, a.k.a. Holy Spirit, to agree that the Gentiles could indeed be saved, and that the Gentile converts needn't follow some of the symbolic portions of the Mosaic law representing crucifixion of the flesh. 

Today churches and individuals squabble and split over silly things... yet the original church had a pretty big issue, based on a 1,900 year old ritual (Gen.17:10**) and yet they were able to come to an agreement.  Why?  Their hearts were humbled.

BTW – You really don’t know if you are submitted to your Rabbi or Pastor until he says ‘No’.

Point to ponder

Why should I need a humbled heart if I know I am right?

How well is America handling all the different opinions?
(Or, how am I handling differing opinions?)

♫  Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord
            And He shall lift you up (higher and higher)   And He shall lift you up    ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd            June 28, 2022   (Originally published Nov.28,2011)

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

*   The Conflict over Circumcision arose in Acts 15:1 “And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”  NKJV

**   Genesis 17:10-11 “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

Musing – How to be a Witness to Muslims

 Hebraic Musing – How to be a Witness to Muslims

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A speaker on a Christian radio program urged Christians to evangelize Muslims, indicating that their method of conquering a country is to patiently infiltrate, seeming to blend in with the culture, until they are the majority and take over the country.  He estimated that the US is only 30 years away from becoming a Muslim nation. 

Just for clarification, both Christians and Muslims believe in and put their faith in a god.  However, the Muslims have a much different understanding of their god on rather significantly critical issues: *

·      Jesus is not the Son of God.

·      Jesus was not crucified, therefore there is no atonement of sin!

·      If one does not believe in the Crucifixion, there is no need to believe in the Resurrection.

·      Sin does not grieve Allah.

·      Man is created by Allah and is sinless, not created in God’s image and sinful by nature

·      Reliance on the Qur’an, a later revelation they believe supersedes and corrects errors in the Bible.

·      Muhammad (570-632 AD) is their authority - last in their line of prophets and final authority.

·      Last Days - All Muslims go to heaven, after purging of their sins. All infidels are destined for hell.

·      To be clear, Allah is NOT the triune God of the Christians; we do not worship the same god. 

Some Christians are content in their little bubble of likeminded friends, they typically have limited contact with non-Christians.  While this might be comfortable, it is not Biblical.  We are to be a light in the darkness, not hiding our light (faith) under a basket as it says in the Bible.  We are to love people, but we are to hate evil.  We are to take authority over evil.  This does not mean that we should pray to God to take away the evil.  Jesus instructs us to take authority and deal with evil ourselves:

·      When the 72 returned from their ministry trip, they said “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Luke 10:17 NKJV   Yes, we are instructed to address Satan directly, in Jesus’ name.  

·      “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”  Luke 9:1-2. 

·      “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” Matthew 10:1.

Jesus has given us authority and He expects us to use it and not tolerate evil.  So how can one discuss this with a Muslim?   While there are obviously many ways, here is a simple approach: **

You – Are you at peace with Allah?  Response – I am at peace with Allah.   Y – Is Allah holy?   R – Yes, Allah is holy.    Y – Is Allah just?   R – Of course, Allah is just.    Y – What was the holy and just payment Allah made to allow you, an unholy and unjust person, to enter into his presence?    R - ???     Y – What was it you could possibly do to satisfy his holiness?  And to bring you into peace with God himself.   R - ???     You – That is probably the biggest differences between our faiths.  I believe that God sent His perfectly holy and just Son in person to be crucified to pay for my sins.  I have experienced God’s love since my unrighteousness has been paid for by God Himself.   R – (Holy Spirit will guide further dialog.)

This logic escapes some Muslim adherents to Islam.  Men who are honest with themselves will look into their own hearts and see that evil exists.  The Law exposes our unrighteousness, our complete absence of holiness.

If you want/need a more complete guide, I have a “Do’s & Don’ts” draft available on request.

Points to ponder

Open our eyes to the evil in our midst, then take authority over it.
Meanwhile remember to love the people and bring them to Jesus. 

We have the truth so why not open a dialog? 
After all, what does it really mean to love our neighbor?

“For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me...”  Isaiah 46:8

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   June 21, 2022
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage - Yosef”    Weekly email “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com
*   From www.namb.net  Comparison Chart — Islam and Christianity
** Inspired by Johanna Shager Hocker   “Authority over Evil”  February 27, 2018

Musing – How to have the “Abundant Life”!

 Hebraic Musing – How to have the “Abundant Life”!

Edited reprint of an August 2011 musing.  Enjoy!

There has been controversy and concern regarding the “Prosperity” message being preached in many growing churches.  If preached as “entitlement”, then concern is appropriate.  BUT prosperity that is the result of ‘faithfulness’ is scripturally supported.

How do we know God wants us to have a prosperous and abundant life?  Well, He says so specifically in his Word and here are only a few of the examples:  (NKJV)

·      Gen. 39:2-3  “The LORD was with Joseph, and …made all he did to prosper in his hand.”

·      Dt. 29:9  “Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper ….”

·      Ps. 122:6  “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.’” 

·      3 John 1  “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 

·      Ps 86:5  “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”

·      Isa.55:1-2 An Invitation to Abundant Life  “…And let your soul delight itself in abundance.”

However, to keep the prosperity message in perspective, maybe we need to put it in context.  We need to listen to David’s charge to Solomon.   “And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn…”  1 Kings 2:3   BTW – the “Law of Moses” is the Torah (Pentateuch or first five books of the Bible).

But let us also confirm this by exploring it logically.  God is a loving Father who gave us a book of instruction in the Torah which includes 613 Mitzvot (lit. “Good Deeds”, translated as Commandments, Ordinances, Laws).  Thus, Our Father provides us with advice for our good AND for the good of His chosen people; like us!  After all, everything a good parent tells their children to do is for the child’s own good.  So it makes sense for us to listen to the Word of God, the Father.  We need to know it and faithfully obey it.

In the original Hebrew, Moses gave us “Ten Words” (commandments) from God in Deuteronomy 5.  The word “Words” has been translated into “Commandments” in most translations.  And then Moses passed them on to Joshua saying - “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.”  Deut. 5:32-33   (That’s worth reading again!)

Point to Ponder

In 1962 Prayer was removed from school classrooms….
and in 1980 Ten Commandments were removed ...
What has that done to our “abundant life”?

Everything a good parent tells their child to do is for the child’s own good!

Does Father God want us to also study the Torah (first five books of the Bible)?

Are we commanded to actively listen to and obey His Words?  All of them?

♫  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,
       And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd           June 14, 2022     (1st published in 2011, over 10 years ago)

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

Musing – What’s Happened to Judeo/Christian Values in the Family?

 Hebraic Musing – What’s Happened to Judeo/Christian Values in the Family?  (& in classrooms)

Did God establish the concept of family?  Why does “Family/Families” appear about 300 time in the NIV?  When the LORD had to preserve righteousness, He preserved the family.  “The LORD then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.’” Gen. 7:1 NIV  BTW – This is first mention of “Family” so clearly the family is important to the LORD

Noah knew the importance of family.  “…in holy fear built an ark to save his family.”   Heb. 11:7 

Jesus wants us ministering to our families.  “…the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.  Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”   Mark 5:18-19 

Paul had a requirement for leaders in God’s church. “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.” 1 Tim 3:4    

No-fault divorce was first recognized in 1969 by California and then in other states.  The importance of Marriage was diminished with approvals of “No-fault divorce.”  “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel,” and why did the LORD say that?  “Has not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.”  Malachi 2:16&15    

What’s the Father’s role?  “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Eph.6:4   Yet currently, less than 10% (or 5%) of children go home to both of their original parents.  (If this surprises you, ask a teacher.)  Another consequence!  How many homes have “Family Dinners” around the table?  I was told that the fork is the least used utensil!!!  BTW – Where are the fathers?

School prayers were declared unconstitutional in the landmark case Engel v. Vitale in 1962 by the Supreme Court.  But if Family Dinners are a thing of the past, where do children learn to pray?  When did Jesus pray? “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,…”  Luke 24:30   Would more people recognize Jesus if prayer was more common?  Do you pray before meals in restaurants?  (With the server?  Why not?)

Ten Commandments was removed from the classroom walls.  In 1980 the Supreme Court ruled that a Kentucky law that required the posting of the Ten Commandments on the wall of every public-school classroom in the state violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment because the purpose of the display was essentially religious.  In my Catholic grammar school, we had them memorized and told jokes by commandment number; when I moved to public school in 6^th grade, I missed that plaque on the wall!  Sadly, the younger generations do not get to stare at, ponder and think about those “Words” while in classrooms. 

Years ago, I searched five Christian bookstores for a 10 Commandments plaque for home.  Finally, the sixth store had one!  So for some Christians, “Footprints, etc.” are more important than the 10 Commandments.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag had been a part of American life since 1892, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”  The phrase “under God” was added to the pledge in 1954, during the Cold War, when Congress wanted to emphasize differences between the US and the atheistic Soviet Union.  Since 1943 it was decided students could not be compelled to participate in the pledge!!!

Points to Ponder

When do children receive parental guidance, both to nurture as-well-as to discipline?

Have we forgotten Jesus’ words in Matt.15:4?  “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother and…'”

Why does the Bible always mention the Father before the Mother, as in “Father and Mother”?

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land
            the LORD your God is giving you.”  Exod.20:12

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   June 7, 2022

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of Christian faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com