Marveling at God's Creation

We climbed as high as we could to get the best view.

Yesterday we spent the day in Boulder. We passed Chautauqua Park and drove up Flagstaff Road a ways. We found a nice place to park and get out and hike around. Although we live in Colorado and we've spent some time in the mountains, I couldn't help but notice how the children were in awe of their surroundings. The trees, the large rocks, the mountains and the altitude we had climbed. It made them laugh and sing, run and play. They marveled at God's creation and they enjoyed it. They explored the rocks and surveyed the land and when it was time to go, they didn't want to leave.

This made me consider my response to God's creation. When we first moved here from Texas, Margaret and I couldn't get enough of the mountains. Often, I'd pull over on the side of the road just to gaze at the front range. Today, however, it's not uncommon for me to go a whole day without even glancing over at the mountains. I pray that the Father keeps me in awe of His wonders and that I do not take them for granted. I don't want to become numb to the world around me. I want to be more intentional to give Him thanks and praise for the creation He made for us.

Below is a 1977 video that puts into perspective all of God's creation. Keep in mind it is not a faith-based video and it's not the lasted in computer animation technology. This is a video that I saw as a child and then again in college. I hope it helps you to marvel at the world around us and at our own bodies which were fearfully and wonderfully made by God.

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There's only ONE Moses

Moses views the land from Mount Nebo.

One of the saddest pictures in the Torah is that of Moses coming to the border of Israel, at the edge of the wilderness, and then dying. Although he was specifically selected by God for the task of leading the people out of slavery in Egypt and into a land flowing with milk and honey, Moses was not allowed to complete his mission because of his sin. His forty year journey would end in the wilderness at Shittim, in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, just opposite Jericho.

In our parashah this week Adonai tells Moses to go up on a mountain and view the land. After he sees it, he would die. Before he ascends the mountain Moses is moved, once again, to intercede for the people. This time he prays that Adonai would not leave the people leaderless, or shepherd-less. Moses loved the flock in his care. Adonai then appoints Joshua, the son of Nun, as Moses' successor. It's not a surprise that Joshua replaced Moses; but, although he would now lead the people, Joshua's role would not be identical to Moses'.

The Torah tells us that Adonai only spoke with Moses face-to-face (Ex 33:11, Nu 12:6-8). Nobody else had this privilege. In fact, before the ordinances regarding the Kohen Gadol were in place, and possibly even afterward, Moses would enter into the Holy of Holies to speak with Adonai who would meet with him from above the mercy seat (Ex 25:22). Remember, only the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on Yom Kippur, to atone for the sins of the nation. But Moses had special access to Adonai that nobody else did, not even his successor, Joshua. Regarding Joshua, the parashah says, "...he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD." (Nu 27:21) In other words, Joshua would hear from God through Eleazar, the High Priest. Joshua would be a mediator between the High Priest and the people. He would convey to the people the words from Adonai that were given through the High Priest. Although Joshua was called a prophet, he was not the Prophet (Du 18:15-18) that would come after Moses. While Joshua was a great leader, he was not equal to Moses. Joshua's main task was to see that the mission of Moses came to fruition. This is why he is exhorted to "be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded..." (Jos 1:6-9) Joshua did not add to the Torah, he followed it.

Last night as we read this passage as a family, my children already knew that Joshua was not like Moses. I was amazed at their understanding of this fact because this is not something that we've talked about before; not in our devotional time anyway. But they understood that only Moses spoke with Adonai face-to-face because only he had a special relationship with Him. Nobody had a relationship with Adonai like Moses did.

It is important to understand that Moses had a unique role in Israel's history. He was not given a specific title and/or responsibilities like Aaron, his brother the High Priest; nor was his job established as a perpetual postion. Aaron's job, on the other hand, was a position that was supposed to continue, from generation to generation, through his sons (Ex 40:12-15). Although Moses' role was not ongoing, his mission needed to be completed, hence the appointment of Joshua. Here's another important fact—since Moses and the High Priest were the only two men who could come into the presence of Almighty God in the Holy of Holies, both Moses and the position of the High Priest were types of the Messiah-to-come, Yeshua. Knowing this, it is safe for us to establish the following two points:

1. Moses, the prophet, is a type of the Prophet, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jn 6:14; Ac 3:22-23).
2. The role of the High Priest is a type of the High Priest, Yeshua HaMashiach (Heb 5:1-10).

Today, we do not have a leader like Moses and our High Priest is currently serving in the heavenly tabernacle (Heb 8:1-6). Nevertheless, it is the practice of some congregations to base their hierarchical structure of church government after the Levitical priesthood (Nu 18:1-7) or the shoftim, the judges of the cities in Israel (Du 16:18), with the Senior Pastor serving in the role of the High Priest or Moses. But remember, Moses and the High Priest were types of Yeshua, so equating the modern day position of the Senior Pastor with that of Moses and/or the High Priest would be a dangerous and potentially heretical and blasphemous stance. To equate the Senior Pastor to the shoftim is not as bad, it's just not accurate. The reason is that Torah is not the law of the land today, here in the US or in Israel; and Senior Pastor does not have the same authority in a persons life that a judge did in Biblical times. Be careful if they tell you that they do.

It has been my experience that churches that lean toward a Levitical priesthood or shoftim model of church government (also known as the Jethro model or Moses' ecclesiastical government) are authoritarian in nature and therefore, heavy-handed in their leadership style. This results in the abuse of authority over the laity, time and time again. This stance is not the position of Messianic scholars but rather the position of fringe Torah teachers.

The Biblical model for the government of Israel was for the nation in the land with a functioning Temple and priesthood. This model was never intended to be used in small church communities outside of Israel under foreign governments. Sure we may see some parallels between the Levitical priests and the church leadership and we may see some parallels between the common Israelite people and the church members; but these are only parallels; similarities. We may also find wisdom in Jethro's model of delegation for Moses because it makes sense; it's the inspired Word of God. But we need to remember, there's only one Moses and the Senior Pastor is not functioning in his role.

We are not in Israel with a functioning Temple and Levitical priesthood. We are in the Diaspora, without a Temple and without a Levitical priesthood. So how should we govern our churches? In some of Paul's epistles we can find his God-inspired, Torah-based instructions on church government that he gave to the churches in the Diaspora. If you already have a knowledge of Torah, this would be a good place to start. For a clear explanation of how to run and establish a Messianic congregation, I recommend the TorahResource course "I Will Build My Ekklesia" – An Introduction to Ecclesiology. In this important teaching, Tim Hegg explains the necessity of a plurality of leaders (elders) which was the foundation of the governmental structure in the early church.

Related Articles:

Elders, be an Example to the Flock
Set Your Heart, June 9, 2011

Who owns your Church?
Set Your Heart, July 8, 2010

"I Will Build My Ekklesia" – An Introduction to Ecclesiology
By Tim Hegg, TorahResource.com

Bet Din
By Jacqueline Shields, The Jewish Virtual Library

Synagogues, Shuls and Temples
Judaism 101



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TV Commercials without the TV

The current in-store advertisements at Walmart.

One of the reasons we stopped watching television eleven years ago was because of the commercials. Although my career, at the time, was in the advertising industry, I didn't like being bombarded with televised junk mail. Don't get me wrong, I like good commercials. I like the creative process and the thinking behind the concepts. That kind of stuff motivates me. I just didn't want it consuming a large portion of my time. I wanted less distractions in my life. One of the benefits we found in moving to Colorado was the small number of billboards on the side of the highway. Less distractions—I like it. But while I was at the store this past weekend, I realized that television commercials don't need television anymore. Commercials are now played on dedicated flatscreens that are strategically placed throughout the store. Great. Now we've got our own personal i-billboards to distract us.

Blade Runner, 1982 (Ridley Scott)
The strange Japanese advertisement on the side of a building
and later seen on the side of a blimp.

Although these in-store video advertisements have been around for a few of years now, I'm still not used to them. I usually ignore them and walk past as if they are not even there. I'd feel weird standing there watching a commercial. Wouldn't you? Actually, when I first saw one of these commercial screens, I was reminded of the commercial on the giant screen on the side of the skyscraper in the movie Blade Runner. Remember the geisha lady taking a pill and smiling into the camera? Check out the clip below. Bizarre stuff, eh? Anyway, this was one of the production details that made this futuristic world believable. The story was set in Los Angeles 2019; which is only seven years away! Although the movie was made back in 1982, the execution still holds up today. The Blade Runner screenplay was an adaption of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), by Philip K. Dick (1928-1982). If you don't know much about Philip Dick and you like sci-fi, you should check him out and check out the other films based on his works.

Eight of Philip Dick's novels or stories were made into movies. The most recent is The Adjustment Bureau (2011). Another one of Dick's story-turned-movie, Total Recall (1990), won an Academy Award for special effects. If you were to watch this movie now, the effects would seem hokey; but back in the day, they were cutting edge—I promise. Actually, a remake of Total Recall is coming out this August. I'm hoping to go see it.

Minority Report, 2002 (Steven Spielberg)
The personalized, retinal-scan powered advertisements
that seem to be all over the city.

Minority Report (2002) was a popular Philip Dick story/movie that incorporated advertising in the plot. The story is set in Washington DC, 2054, where retinal scanning technology is used by the government to monitor the population. The media also uses this technology to deliver personalized advertisements. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is a cop on the run. In the clip below, he realizes that he cannot hide in the city because of all the retinal scanners that are mounted everywhere. Big brother is watching his every move.

Anderton is trying to solve a murder mystery while simultaneously evading the police; but in order to move about the city undetected, he has to undergo an eye transplant. He needs new retinas which will provide him a new identity. In the clip below, he enters a Gap store where he learns his new identity.

Mr. Yakamoto, that's hilarious! Get it, he's not Japanese! Anyway, Minority Report is set in 2054, that's thirty-five years away. Do you think we will have this kind of technology in 2054? I mean, right now our computers let folks know what city we are in, websites track our purchases and offer suggestions the next time we visit. Our phones tell everyone where we've been and where we're at; and these are only a few of the basic tasks that simple computers can do today. Technology seems to be advancing at a faster and faster rate which effects all areas of our lives, even advertising.

It's hard to imagine that this story was first published in 1956. I know the screenwriters adapted the story to make it relevant for today; but I also know the advertising of today is much more distracting than the advertising of the 50's. It's probably true that the advertising of the future will be much more distracting than it is today. So I guess the impersonal flatscreens aren't that bad after all. I guess I can tolerate them or at least continue to ignore them. But once they start interacting with me on a personal level, I'm going to look into getting eye transplant insurance.

Related Links:

In-Store TV Still Fighting for Respect -- and Marketing Dollars
Ad Age, 2010

Does 'Minority Report' Portray a Scary Future?
ClickZ, 2002

The Philip K. Dick Website

Total Recall, 2012
Release date - August 3, 2012



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A Cure for Cabin Fever

Miryam (7), Isaac (9), and Aaron (5) exert a little energy.

I had to get these three out of the house this morning in an attempt to cure their cabin fever. They've been cooped up for about a week and needed to exert a little energy. Aaron's been wanting to show us, for the past year, that he knows how to get to the church on foot, so we thought we'd give him a shot. For a five year old kid, he's got a pretty good sense of direction. Here are some shots of our walk to the church and then back home again. Click on the photos for a larger view.

First stop, the bunch of trees down the street.
It's a great place for photos in the fall. We're a bit late.

This is a great open space to watch the sun set.
It's up on a hill; great view of the mountains.

From the top of this hill you can see downtown Denver.
Look right over Isaacs left shoulder,
you can barely make out the Denver skyline.

Here we are at the church. This is where our congregation meets.
Good job Aaron!

We took the long way home
and swung by the new 80th Street bridge.

There were some shoes in the creek.
The kids got a kick out of it.

Last stop, Mr. Mike's house to check out his bike.

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Hurt People Hurt People

Comic Book and Movie Villains are nothing more than bullies.
In The Incredibles (2004), little Buddy Pine grows up to become
the malevolent villain, Syndrome.

As part of my son's Gracie Jiu-Jitsu training, the coach will put the students in imaginary but 'real world' confrontations and then teach them how to protect themselves and get out of the situation. The common scenario he puts them in is the schoolyard bully who is trying take their lunch money by force. It's an old cliché but it's an all too real situation that children still encounter today. In the news more and more stories of bullied children are being told. Some of these children have been bullied to the point of suicide. Because of these horrific instances, anti-bullying laws are now being pushed to protect the vulnerable.

But bullying isn't only found on the playground or in grade schools. Many child bullies grow up to become adult bullies; and adult bullies can be more intimidating and more threatening than their younger counterparts. Adult bullies can be found in the workplace, in social clubs, in the neighborhood and even in the church. So, why do bullies bully?

The cute little orphan, Goob, grows up to become the menacing
Bowler Hat Guy in Disney's Meet the Robinsons (2007)

After years of reading comic books and watching movies, it has become clear to me that villains are usually nothing more than big bullies. Some villains are thieves and some are monsters but usually, they're just bullies. Villains are usually out for revenge. They want to make the people who hurt them in the past, pay and pay dearly. Their broken past and the injustices they faced, usually as a child, are the catalysts that made them a villain. In fact, Tip #2 of the Seven Tips on Creating a Fantastic Fantasy Villain, found on the Fantasy Faction website, touches on this.

To create a Lovable Villain you need to make them characters with whom readers can relate. There are ways of doing this that will help our readers empathise with the most miserable antagonist. Villains can own their own set of injustices. If they feel they are ‘hard done by’, by society, life or circumstance, they not only have an understandable reason for maladjusted behaviour, but they will have enough logic for their actions to allow the reader to have some sympathy towards their plight. From a single human frailty, such as fear, jealousy, or loneliness your villain can still generate evil but they will also have at least one character trait for a reader to relate to. Child abuse, neglect, ridicule in their early life could well influence a villain’s lack of self esteem and arouse a sense of sympathy from the reader.

To make them seem 'real' to their audience, authors and screen writers will give their villains a history that is believable; something people can relate to. Two recent, animated villains with a troubling past come to mind, Syndrome (The Incredibles, 2004) and the Bowler Hat Guy (Meet the Robinsons, 2007). In the movie clip below, Syndrome reveals the childhood rejection that made him a bitter villain.

In the next clip, the Bowler Hat Guy goes back in time and runs into himself as a child. Jump ahead to 2:06 or just watch the whole video.

These are a couple of fun, fictitious examples of how villains are made, but I think there may be some truth to them. I'm no expert on this subject but I have noticed that some people who come from broken backgrounds do end up as bullies; not all, but some. I know because I've experienced a few of these people in my life. Although I grew up in a rough neighborhood, I had a pleasant childhood. I didn't have any traumatic experiences so I cannot relate to how a person like this may feel; but I know they must be hurting. Because they are hurting, they hurt others.

Now, I have to mention that in comic books and movies, the hero usually has a past too. The hero usually comes from a broken background too; but the difference is that the hero has turned his bad experiences into something good. He becomes a fighter for justice and not a menacing villain. So, maybe bullies are not just victims of their circumstances. Maybe they do have a choice to do the right thing but they choose not to.

"People who are bullies haven't dealt with their own insecurities of low self esteem and self-worth. By controlling and manipulating and coercing they hide their own insecurities."

(from Steve Hutto's blog post Bullies In The Church?)

So, what about us, the disciples of Yeshua? If we are born again and if we've put away the sinfulness of our past and we are trying to live a godly life, why are there bullies in the church? I like what Steve Hutto says in his blog post about bullies in the church -- "People who are bullies haven't dealt with their own insecurities of low self esteem and self-worth. By controlling and manipulating and coercing they hide their own insecurities." When we are born again, there is a change that happens within us but this change does not erase our past. In fact, after we have accepted Messiah, we may still be affected by our past sins and/or the past sins done against us. This is why we have to intentionally address them. We need to accept forgiveness from God for our sins and know in our hearts that He truly has forgiven us. This will remove the guilt. Then we need to truly forgive those who have sinned against us. We need to release them to God and in doing so the anger toward them and the need to get revenge is removed. Being forgiven and forgiving others will release us from the bondage of sin. Hutto goes on to say, "The problem is that a bully doesn't trust God in the areas of his/her insecurities. They look to their own 'strengths' instead [of] acknowledging their weaknesses. Thus the power of Christ is not free to move in and through them." A disciple of Yeshua who is a bully, who has not addressed their past, will not be able to move in the fullness of the Spirit. There will always be this, their past hurts, holding them back. They will not be as effective as they could be in their job of advancing the Kingdom.

Hurt people hurt people; but forgiven people forgive people.

Related Links:
The Serial Bully
www.BullyOnline.org

Bullies In The Church?
Steve Hutto's Blog

Big Bad Bully
Psychology Today

Healing Past Hurts
www.LordsLaw.com



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