New & Improved

We live in a staunchly change-oriented society.  Despite a much-professed antipathy to change in general, most humans expect and even seek change as a healthy part of the progression of our lives.  Honestly, I am not sure how well we would fare if we could not select new fashion trends, enjoy new recording artists, try new cuisine, make new friends, and surf channels on our televisions – not to mention the stupendous inundation of ‘fresh’ stimuli that defines the internet.  While claiming to hate change - especially as it relates to the subject of aging, we all acknowledge that change is inescapable.  In fact, we have developed entire professional disciplines around “change management.”

Conventional wisdom reminds us that “the only constant is that everything changes.”  This axiom has an impressive pedigree, dating back to at least the sixth century BCE, attributed to Heraclitus of Ephesus.  He wrote, “πάντα χωρεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν μένει,” which is variously translated but is essentially, “everything changes and nothing stays fixed.”  For the record, an alternate (and more popular) rendering of this thought is attributed to none other than that great American philosopher Louis L’Amour: “The only thing that never changes is that everything changes.”

Touting change is also a cherished marketing and business development tool.  How delighted are we to see “new and improved” on a given product?  OK, not all that delighted because usually nothing inside the product has actually improved, but still.  And although the buzzwords – uh – change, “innovation” is always highly valued.  We want to move on to the next great idea, whether it be clothes, cars, buildings, music, movies, books, entertainment, hair styles, and on and on.

Of course, there are those among us who claim that we would like it better if things did not change; or at least not so quickly.  I won’t explore in this brief blog entry the political divide these notions represent.  That would be WAY off topic.

So, what exactly is my topic?

It is this:   

How do we reconcile YHVH’s immutability (that he never changes)

with our ceaseless environment of change?

I mean, we are to LOVE YHVH with all our heart, soul, and strength.  It is comforting that He never changes.  That means he is reliable, trustworthy, solid, dependable.  But how are we supposed to pursue a relationship with him who never changes while we are in a constant state of change?  How does that actually work?

Well, the first thing that comes to mind is his instruction in Psalm 46:10 to “Be still…”  The action of being still forces us to, as much as possible, move into alignment with the Almighty’s state of being, which is “never changing.”  That is kind of like moving from the outer edges of the merry-go-round to the center.  You are still going in circles, but the force of the spinning is not as profound.

One of Jonathan Cahn’s meditations in his “Book of Mysteries” illustrates this principle.  He showed how we can walk through the day, and at various times the sun is at different points in the sky; sometimes it might be obscured by trees or buildings or mountains or even by our own hand.  Relative to us, the sun may seem to be changing, but it is not.  It is we who are in motion.  (OK, the sun is constantly “changing” in several ways, but stick with me for this illustration, all right?)

It is not that YHVH is distant from us.  He is not.  But he is so inestimably “Other,” that we sometimes are at a loss as to how we should relate to him.  Nevertheless, he is calling us to commune with him. How?  

TESHUVAH

What is TESHUVAH?  It means “repent” or “return.”  It can be interpreted, to turn around and face / move in the opposite direction.  In other words, “change.”

YHVH, the Unchanging One, calls us to CHANGE!  But, what is he really calling us to?  To himself.  To Be Still.  To turn and face toward him.  He promises to bring to us the ultimate change; to make us a new creation; to put in us a new heart; to give us a new song.  What could calm our spirits more than to be in relationship with the One Who Does Not Change?

Ponder this truth: we live in a condition of constant change while the Eternal One is calling us to himself, to his unchanging perfection and holiness and shalom.

Be. Still.

NOTE:  Scripture references about YHVH’s immutability: 

Numbers 23:19

1 Samuel 15:29

Isaiah 46:9-11

Ezekiel 24:14

Malachi 3:6

Psalms 33:11; 41:13; 90:2-4

John 17:5

2 Timothy 1:9

Hebrews 13:8

James 1:17

Shalom!

שלום

ALL. THINGS. Seriously.

What kind of Father is YHVH?   

What does it mean to be children in His Kingdom?

Scripture gives us plenty of answers and examples for these questions.  I have placed a couple of hints in the subject line.  Therefore, much of this blog post is going to be quoting scripture.  As always, scripture speaks for itself.

The inspiration for this post came from many months in which the phrase “all things” persistently lingered in my thoughts.  I decided to go looking for scripture that tells us what role “all things” plays in the Kingdom of YHVH.**  What follows below is some of the fruit of that search.  

I acknowledge that the appearance of the phrase “all things” in scripture will depend upon which translation one is using.  I did not take this study back to the original languages (yet) to ensure that I was always finding the same Hebrew or Greek word or phrase being translated as “all things.”  So, this blog post is stretching my own accustomed rules of exegesis, which place high value on going back to the original languages.  Nevertheless, I find this a powerful exercise in looking more closely at how we are supposed to walk and live as Kingdom children.

Also, and this seems obvious, but keep in mind that “all things” really does mean “all things.”  There is literally no way to interpret that phrase as anything else.  It does not mean “some things” or even “most things” or “many things.”  It means ALL THINGS.

By the way, I searched all of scripture, but this phrase seems to be predominantly (based on my searches so far, exclusively) in the Messianic Writings (New Testament).  I am wondering if, as the embodiment and fulfillment of Torah, Yeshua haMashiach is delivering “all things” through the renewed covenant.

Read, and be blessed:

“And looking at them Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27, NASB)

“And Jesus said to him, ‘'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes.’” (Mark 9:23, NASB)

“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3, NASB)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26, NASB)

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” (Acts 3:19-21, NASB)

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28, NASB)

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NASB)

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36, NASB)

“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10, NASB)

“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6, NASB)

“He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.” (Ephesians 1:9-10, NASB)

“And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.” (Ephesians 1:22, NASB)

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, NASB)

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. … and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:16-17, 20, NASB)

“In every thing (all things) give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV)

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2, NASB)

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11, NIV)

He created all things.  All things are possible with him.  We can do all things in him.  The Spirit will teach us all things, and the Spirit searches all things.  He will freely give us all things.  In the fullness of time, all things will be restored.  All things work together for good.  From him and through him and to him are all things.  In all things we must give thanks.

Yeshua has been appointed heir of all things.

We are joint heirs with Yeshua haMashiach. 

Are you ready to take up your inheritance?

** GRAMMAR NOTE:  I know, I know.  “All things” is (are?) plural and should therefore take a plural verb form; i.e., “play” instead of “plays.”  BUT the phrase “all things” is (are?) being used in the above sentence as a singular noun.  It is representing “a phrase” or “that phrase,” so the verb form is correctly singular.

Shalom!

שלום