The Arm of the LORD in the Book of Jeremiah

Jeremiah 27:5

           Although brief and at first glance apparently insignificant, the reference to the Arm of the LORD as Creator in Jeremiah 27:5 provides an impressive contribution to the motif. The verse readily may be divided into three sections: 1) The Creator’s work (v. 5a); 2) The means by which the Creator created (v. 5b); and 3) The Creator’s preeminence over the nations (v. 5c). Walter Brueggemann observed that “the foundational statement” in verse 5a (the pronoun I) identifies God as the sole Creator.[1]

The intent of the passage is quite clear. Since God created all humans, He possesses authority to set any person on any earthly throne at His discretion. Verse 5c, therefore, provides the logical conclusion to the information presented in verse 5a,b. Because His Arm molded mankind, God serves as the “Administrator in the affairs of the nations.”[2]     

Jeremiah 32:17

            The second Jeremiah passage worthy of consideration appears at the beginning of a doxology[3] which the prophet directed to the LORD: “Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too impossible for You” (Jer. 32:17). Whereas in Jeremiah 27:5 the discussion is limited to the creation of human and animal life, the entirety of the universe is the focus of 32:17, which makes use of terminology similar to that found in Psalm 89:11(12).

---

[1] Walter Brueggemann, Jeremiah 26-52: To Build Up, To Plant, in the International Theological Commentary, ed. Fredrick Carlson Holmgren and George A. F. Knight (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 15.

[2] Charles Lee Feinberg, Jeremiah: A Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982), 188.

[3] Brueggemann, Jeremiah 26-52, 82. Brueggemann observed that the praise of  v. 17 emanates from “the wonder of creation,” which testifies to God’s might.

The Arm of the LORD as Creator (Psalm 89:11-13)

One of the highest concentrations of the usage of arm in the entire Old Testament appears in Psalm 89 (vv. 10,13,21). Additionally, King David, who “is specifically named and talked about . . . few times in the text of the psalms (18:50; 78:70; 89:3,20,35,49; 132:1,10-11f.,17; 144:10 {see 122:5}),”[1] is mentioned four times in the pericope at hand. In other words, 33 percent of the Davidic allusions in the Book of Psalms are present in Psalm 89. Since “David” often is a designation for the Messiah,[2] one should not be surprised that Psalm 89 is messianic in nature

Verse 10 depicts God as crushing Rahab by means of His “mighty arm.” Hans-Joachim Kraus understood this battle as the foundation on which the psalmist set verses 11-13: “By overcoming all the primeval powers of chaos [i.e., Rahab, God] became lord of heaven and earth.”[3] Adherents of the position claim that “[l]a conséquence de la domination de [Dieu] sur la Mer [Rahab], c’est la souveraineté de [Dieu] sur ‘la terre et le ciel.’”[4] This interpretation, however, is faulty for at least three reasons. 

First, verse 11 does not state that God obtained the deed to the 

universe by meansof defeating Rahab. Rather, a thematic break 

occurs between verses 10 and 11. Furthermore, God’s preeminence is the subject of verses 5-10, whereas His status as Creator–the reason for His supremacy–is the subject of verses 11-13.

Since God, second, originated not only the heavens but every aspect of the world is part of the domain which He originated. If Rahab’s defeat prompted the institution of the universe, it becomes ludicrous to suggest that God became the Creator after defeating Rahab, for already He had founded the waters. This explanation of the text fails the test of logic.

Third, although rahab does appear as a synonym of yam (sea) in the Old Testament, the LORD defeated Rahab after the creation of the universe (cf. Job 26:12). The version of the passage lauded by Kraus and other scholars of the same persuasion is nothing more than a reading of Psalm 89:11-13 through the lens of the Enuma Elish and other mythological accounts which depict the triumph of order over Chaos. The present text, however, explains that God is triumphant over Rahab because as the Architect of all matter by means of His Arm, God created Rahab as well.

An honest reading of verses 11-13 does not confirm that God earned His designation as Creator by defeating a Chaos monster. Rather, the LORD’s “ownership of heaven and earth is based on his act of creation.”[5] Further evidence for this claim appears in verse 12, which declares that God created the north and south. This pairing is associated with the Creator because it is a way to speak of “the earth’s extremities”[6] (i.e., the entire world).

Additionally, “Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at [God’s] name” (v. 12). The purpose for the inclusion of these mountains in this creation passage apparently stems from their religious affiliations. Whereas Hermon gained the reputation as the center of a Baal cult,[7] “Tabor was a byword for aberrant worship” (Hos. 5:1).[8] Even the so-called strongholds of the gods, therefore, praised the LORD as Creator, “and no other god.”[9]

---

[1] James Luther Mays, “The David of the Psalms,” Interpretation 40, no. 2 (Apr. 1986): 153.

[2] E.g., Isa. 9:7; Jer. 23:5-6; 30:9; 33:15; Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos. 3:5.

[3] Hans-Joachim Kraus, Psalms 60-150, trans. Hilton C. Oswald (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1989), 206.

[4] Bernard Dumortier, “Un Rituel d’Intronisation: Le Psaum 89:2-38,” Vetus Testamentum 22, no. 2 (Apr. 1972): 182. Dumortier’s understanding of rahab as a synonym of yam influenced his interpretation of Psalm 89.

[5] Craig G. Broyles, The Conflict of Faith and Experience in the Psalms: Form-Critical and Theological Studies, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, vol. 52, ed. David J. A. Clines and Philip R. Davies (Sheffield: JSOT, 1989), 171-72. Broyles rightly asserted that God’s role as the Creator  of all matter confirms His “right to universal kingship.”

[6] J. H. Eaton, Psalms, in Torch Bible Commentaries, ed. John Marsh and Alan Richardson (London: SCM, 1972), 220.

[7] A[rnold] A[lbert] Anderson, The Book of Psalms, vol. 2, in The New Century Bible (Greenwood, SC: Attic, 1992), 637.

[8] Michael D. Goulder, The Psalms of the Sons of Korah, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, vol. 20, ed. David J. A. Clines, Philip R. Davies, and David M. Gunn (Sheffield: University of Sheffield, 1982), 213.

[9] Anderson, The Book of Psalms, vol. 2, 637.

Spinach and Hypocrites

On August 29, 2007, the Associated Press reported on a dangerous development in the food industry:

“A California produce company recalled bagged fresh spinach Wednesday after it tested positive for salmonella. There were no immediate reports of illness linked to the tainted spinach, distributed by Metz Fresh LLC of King City, Calif. The recall comes nearly a year after an outbreak of another pathogen, E. coli, in fresh spinach killed three people and sickened another 200.”[1]

Although food was the cause of illness and death in the E. coli incident, people did not blame all foods for the dilemma. For this reason, the company in California a year later only recalled the infected spinach instead of every edible item in super markets and shopping centers.

What is the point? Some people refuse to place their faith in Christ or attend church because they claim that the church is “filled with hypocrites.” True, there are some hypocrites in the church and this is not a new development. After all, one of Jesus’ disciples was a hypocrite! Just as no one should judge the early church by Judas’s actions, people should not judge the 21^st century church by the actions of those who claim to be servants of Christ yet deny Him by their actions. 

James S. Spiegel put it well when he said, “[Atheists] rightly condemn those who abuse belief in God, but then they proceed to reject that belief rather than just its abusers. It should be duly noted that the fact that there is such a thing as theistic malpractice is, in a sense, a confirmation of the Christian doctrine of sin. That there would be abusers of religion and Christianity in particular is just what we should expect if the Christian worldview is true.”[2]

Just as we should not condemn all food because of E. coli-laced bags of spinach, neither should Christianity or the church be condemned because of a few hypocrites!

---

[1] “Bagged spinach recalled over salmonella fears: No immediate reports of illness linked to tainted product from California.” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20498998/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/. Accessed 28 March, 2011.

[2] James S. Spiegel, The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief (Chicago: Moody, 2010), 38.

Dude, Where's My Shirt?

Years ago, during a Disciple Now conference at Kirby Woods Baptist Church, I led a group of teenagers who were eager to share their faith in the community. We traveled door to door, hoping to find people at home so that we could tell them of Christ’s love for them. It was a particularly hot day, and we arrived at one address where a middle-age man was sitting in a lawn chair in a front yard covered with withering grass.

When we began to share the Gospel, he cut us off. “I don’t want to hear anything about that church business,” he snapped. “Church people are hypocrites who would steal the shirt off your back!” Since the man was shirtless at the time that he made this statement, I could only assume that prior to our visit that someone from another church had attacked him and stolen the shirt off his back!

Of course his accusation was a mere straw man of an excuse for not embracing the Gospel because there are many godly Christians who walk with the Lord on a day-by-day basis. It is true, however, that there are many who claim to be believers but deny Jesus by their lifestyles. May this statement never be made of us!

Here are a few quotes that are worth consideration, but before making them allow me to offer a disclaimer. In my personal walk with Jesus I often disappoint Him and fall short of His expectations, so I speak not as a sanctimonious person who never errs, but as a believer who desires to follow Him more closely. For this reason, the following quotations are meant to edify all of us who are believers to walk authentically and more faithfully with the Lord.

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." –Brennan Manning

“Practice what you preach.” (based on Matthew 23:3)

But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18)

"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” –Jesus, Luke 6:46

If we call ourselves believers, let’s live like believers for His glory so that He may use us to reach others with His glorious Gospel!

Shamgar: The Third Judge of Israel (Judges 3:31)

1. Shamgar's service as judge was in the Philistine plain.[1]

2. Since Shamgar only is mentioned in two verses in the Bible, 

    not much is known about him (cf. 3:31; 5:6).

    3:31 After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck 

    down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also 

     saved Israel.

    5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of 

    Jael, the highways were deserted, And travelers went by 

    roundabout ways.

     Shamgar, therefore appears to have been a contemporary of 

     Jael, and he possesses a name of foreign origin that most

     likely either is Hittite or Hurrian.[2]

  3. Shamgar used an oxgoad to kill 600 Philistines. "An 

      oxgoad was a long, wooden rod, sometimes having a 

      metal tip, similar to a modern-day cattle prod. Oxgoad 

       literally means 'an instrument of learning.' To be sure, 

       Shamgar 'taught' the Philistines a thing or two."[3] 

       Regarding Shamgar, Dr. Robert C. Pitman said: "He did 

       what he could with what he had for the glory of God," a

       lesson that all contemporary believers should learn well!

---

[1] NIV Archaeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 348.

[2] Cundall and Morris, Judges and Ruth, 80.

[3] NIV Archaeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 349.

A Short Commentary on Judges 2:11-3:8

        1. Israel Forsakes the LORD and Serves the Baals 

           and Ashtaroth (2:11-13)

            After the death of Joshua, the sons of Israel forsook 

            the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtaroth.

            Baal: Baal refers to the Canaanite storm god Hadad. 

            Hadad was the god of storms, rain, and agriculture 

            who was related to the Mesopotamian god Adad. 

            The word is in the plural in this passage because 

            various locations had local manifestations of the 

            same god.[1]

            Astarte: Ashtaroth is the plural form of Astarte. 

            This pagan deity was the goddess of sexual love, 

            fertility and war, and was represented by the 

            evening star. She was depicted as the consort of 

            Baal.[2]

       2. The LORD Punishes Israel (2:14-15)

            2:14 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, 
           and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who 
           plundered them; and He sold them into the hands 
           of their enemies around them, so that they could 
           no longer stand before their enemies. 
           2:15 Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD 
           was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken 
           and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they 
           were severely distressed.

        3. A Summary of the Period of the Judges (2:16-19)

            The time of the Judges was cyclical in nature. The 

             people would do evil in the sight of the LORD, 

             and then God would punish them. When the 

             people repented and cried out to God, He sent 

             deliverance in the form of a judge. After the 

             judge delivered the people, they soon feel into 

            apostasy once more. This cycle is repeated over 

            and over in the Book of Judges.

        4. The LORD's Anger Burns Against Israel (2:20-23)

            • Many of the peoples were not driven out of the 

              land in order to test Israel (vv. 21-23).

        5. The Nations that the LORD Left in the Land to Test 

            Israel (3:1-8)

            • The five lords of the Philistines, the Sidonians, Hittites, 

               Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jerusites (vv. 3, 5) 

               Additionally, the Israelites began to intermarry with 

               these people and did evil by serving their gods (vv. 6-7)

           

            • The LORD punished the sons of Israel by making 

               them serve Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, 

               for eight years (v. 8).

---

[1] Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas, The IVP Background Commentary: Old Testament, 246.

[2] Wolf, "Judges," 394-95.

A Short Introduction to Old Testament Critical Issues

1. AN INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT CRITICAL 

    ISSUES

        1) Biblical Criticism

            Criticism: Denotes primarily a judgment or an act of 

            judging. It comes from the Greek word krino and has the 

            meaning of “discern,” “test,” “pass judgment,” or  

            “determine.”

            Lower Criticism: Concerns itself with variants, 

            manuscripts, etc. Its purpose is to determine the 

            original reading of the Autographa when various 

            manuscripts have different readings. This is a valuable 

            tool that is compatible with verbal plenary inspiration. 

            Recommended texts which deal with this subject are:

                        Emmanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the 

                        Hebrew Bible.

                        Ernst Würthein, The Text of the Old Testament.

            Higher Criticism (Quellensheidung): Concerns itself 

            with the age of the text, authorship, mode of 

            composition, sources, etc. This type of criticism is

            the enemy of verbal plenary inspiration.

        2) The Atmosphere That Hatched Higher Criticism

             (and attacked a proper view of Scripture):

            • The Enlightenment: (18^th cent.) The Enlightenment 

              gave birth to rationalism,which soon pervaded 

              Europe, especially in France and Germany.

              Rationalism is the belief that truth is not obtained 

              not by sensory techniques, but rather intellectual and 

              deductive. As a result, anti-supernaturalism grew over 

              time.

            • Deism: The belief that God's interaction with the 

              universe is like a clockmaker that winds up a clock, 

              sets it on the shelf, and leaves it to its own devices. 

              Deists doubted revelation because they believed that 

              God did not interfere in the affairs of mankind. 

              Prominent Deists in early United States history 

              include Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and 

              Thomas Paine.

            • Hegelism: George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel 

              (1770-1831) argued for a progression in culture 

              and history from lower to higher stages. Those 

              who held this position refused to accept that 

              monotheism came first.

            • Literary Criticism: The approach to ancient 

              literature’s historical accuracy was that it was guilty 

              until proven innocent. Through literary criticism people 

              thought they could go back and find the original text. 

              The assumption during the 18^th and 19^th centuries was 

              that poetry was a late development.

            • Evolution: Even before Charles Darwin (1809-1882) 

              popularized the theory, the rationalists made this 

              assumption. From the 1850s forward one of the fastest

              growing disciplines was religious evolution.

            • Antisemitism: Freidrich Delitzch (1850-1922) tended 

              to have antisemitic tendencies. He gave the lecture

              Babel und Bibel (1902), in which he argued that

              the Old Testament writings were not original, but 

              borrowed from Babylonian literature.